An Australian woman became an overnight millionaire when she scooped the jackpot in a state lottery, after 24 years of trying. Julie Croker, 63, won a mansion valued at A$3 million (£1.44m) complete with A$200,000 (£95.7k) of furniture and A$800,000 (£383k) of gold, after bagging the top prize in the RLS Queensland lottery.
Her husband of 34 years, Bob, had tried to talk her out of spending A$30 each month on lottery tickets, but to no avail. The dog groomer is a fervent believer in the causes the lottery supports and ignored her husband’s pleas. The RSL Queensland lottery contributes to supporting veterans and their families across the state and nationally.
It does this by sponsoring a number of social programmes in advocacy, employment and wellbeing.
The 63-year-old newly minted millionaire told the website news.com.au: “I have bought a $30 book every month and we’ve been doing it for 24 years.
“There have been many times Bob said ‘cancel it, we could use that money for something else’.”
She said she could not believe her luck when she received a phone call telling her she had struck the jackpot.
Mrs Croker explained she initially thought she was being scammed, as she struggled to take in the startling news.
“Oh mate! I wouldn’t believe it,” she said. “I thought he was scamming me, and I honestly didn’t believe it, and I still can’t believe I’ve won.”
The happy couple have no plans to move into the mansion and lead the lives of millionaires.
Instead they will stay in their current home and use the lottery proceeds to pay off their mortgage.
They also plan to sell the mansion and live off the money for the rest of their lives.
Mrs Croker and her husband also intend to hang up their working boots and take early retirement.
Still struggling to comprehend their good fortune, she said: “This does not happen to people like us, just common people, but it obviously does.”
