From unemployed to millionaire: R75m Powerball jackpot changes woman’s life

An unemployed mother-of-two from Johannesburg has won the biggest jackpot this year – a life-changing R75 million Powerball jackpot.

The R75 million Powerball jackpot is the biggest win of 2023, and it was claimed by an unemployed woman from Johannesburg who said she’s an occasional Lotto player.

R75 million Powerball jackpot

The winning numbers for Draw #1389 was drawn on 17 March 2023 after the player, who chooses to remain anonymous, bought the ticket at a Spar in Fourways.

The winner told Ithuba she only plays the Lotto and Powerball games occasionally, and that picking the winning numbers was a team effort between her and her husband.

“When I checked the results at home and realised that I had won, I became very excited. I was always hopeful that I would one day win the jackpot,” she said.

She wants to live a comfortable life now that she is a millionaire, which includes buying a new house for her family and investing in her children’s education.

Upcoming Lotto and Powerball jackpots

There’s still time to change your own future.

The upcoming Lotto draw on Wednesday has more than R32 million up for grabs, with the main game’s estimated jackpot now standing at R17 million.

There will also be R10 million up for grabs in the Lotto Plus 1 game, and R5 million in the Lotto Plus 2 game.

Then there’s also the Powerball draw on Tuesday, 28 March, with a R15 million available in the main draw, and R10 million in the Powerball Plus draw.

Finally, one lucky winner stands a chance of winning up to R500 000 in Monday’s Daily Lotto draw.

Previous jackpots won

Ithuba is also looking for the winners of two recent Daily Lotto games, including a R250 000 prize from a draw on 24 March.

In addition, three people won R166 666.70 in the Daily Lotto Draw on 25 March, while six players won R83 333.30 each from the draw on 26 March.

Just this year alone, Ithuba paid out more than R371 million in jackpots to 15 lucky winners.

Ithuba CEO Charmain Mabuza said the streak of new millionaires created this year is “welcome news for South Africans struggling with the ongoing energy crisis and economic difficulties”.

Mabuza said even though the chances of winning the lottery is slim, it’s still a “glimmer of hope and chance for financial freedom” for thousands of South Africans.