An Aussie mum who popped down to the pub for a spontaneous game of Keno has won $2.9 million, despite “not knowing how to play”.
The woman, from Rooty Hill in Sydney’s west, became a multi-millionaire in Friday’s draw but admitted she’d never played Keno before and didn’t even know how.
She said she had simply been waiting for her husband at the pub when she decided to play a game to pass the time.
“We decided to go to the local pub after work just for a bit of entertainment,” the winner explained.
“I was in the mood to go out and I said to my husband, ‘Let’s go out! Let’s go out!
“It wasn’t until I was waiting for my husband that I decided to put on a game of Keno.”
Since she didn’t understand the game, the woman relied on instructions from the pub staff to play along.
“I didn’t know how to play so I went up to the team member and asked to put on a ticket,” she said.
“I asked if the team member at the venue could check my ticket but because the last game wasn’t drawn, he said it would void my ticket. I stayed put and waited until the last game had been drawn.”
Once the final game had been played, the staff member rushed up to the woman, who was oblivious she had just won the jackpot.
“The team member came up to me and said, ‘I think you’ve won! I think you’ve won $2.9 million,’” she said.
“I couldn’t believe it. I ran up to my husband and we immediately left the pub. We didn’t know what to do.
“We still don’t know where to start. This is life-changing.”
“It still hasn’t sunk in. Our lives are about to change,” the woman added.
The woman scored the Keno Classic 10 Spot jackpot in draw 151 and pocketed a total prize of $2,960,137.10.
She said she plans to use the winnings to buy her first family home after years of renting.
“We’re also going on a family holiday soon, and we will be able to celebrate all together,” she said.