By Laura Michell
One Hume lotto store is among the luckiest outlets in the state.
Craigieburn’s Highlands News & Lotto is one of only two Victorian outlets to sell two division one-winning entries this year – and the only store to record back-to-back winners.
The store’s first win this year came on May 9 when a syndicate set up at the store scored a division one prize of more than $1.8 million.
The group’s syndicate system entry also won division three 12 times and division four 15 times. Shares in the syndicate were sold at Highlands News & Lotto, Thomastown News & Lotto, Chadstone Newsagency and Spring Hill News in Cranbourne.
A week later on May 16, a syndicate of 23 Craigieburn warehouse workers, which was again set up at Highlands News & Lotto, was one of 12 division one-winning entries nationally, taking home $410,606.
The syndicate also won division two six times, division three 18 times, division four 90 times and division five 60 times, boosting the total prize to $467,642.
According to The Lott, the only other Victorian outlet to sell more than one division one-winning entry this year is Highpoint News & Tatts, which recorded winners on February 29 and May 16.
Highlands News & Lotto manager Kevin Ung said it was unusual to sell back-to-back division one-winning entries.
“We’ve sold 17 division one-winning entries over the past eight years, but they have always been spread out over the year. We’ve never had winning entries two weeks in a row. How good is that?” he said.
“We’ll be celebrating in-store with all my customers. All of my customers are very loyal, and I feel privileged to help people achieve their dreams of winning division one.”
