‘Oh mate': Couple wins lottery after entering every month for over 20 years
When Julie Croker found out she'd won a home valued at $3 million, plus $800,000 in gold, she thought she was being scammed. Turns out, it was finally her lucky day.
Mrs Croker has been buying a ticket every month in the RSL Queensland lottery for over 24 years.
RSL Queensland contributes to supporting veterans and their families across the state and nationally, through advocacy, employment, and wellbeing programs.
It is a cause that Mrs Croker has always liked to support, and she's remained loyal for over two decades.
The 63-year-old dog groomer said her husband of 34 years, Bob, had occasionally told her to stop spending $30 a month, but she'd held strong.
'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 told news.com.au.
'I don't drink, I don't smoke this is my little thing I like to do,' she explained.
Mrs Croker has been buying a ticket every month for over 24 years. Picture: Supplied
The couple won this home valued at $3 million. Picture: Supplied
Mrs Croker ignored her husband and kept buying the lotto tickets, but not because she ever thought she'd win, she was just passionate about supporting veterans in the small way she could.
'You dream but you never think it is going to happen. I think you'd drive yourself mad if you thought every month, 'I'm going to win',' she said.
Buying the lottery tickets had become such a routine that she rarely entertained the idea of winning.
But when the 63-year-old received a phone call last Wednesday, she was informed she'd won a mansion in Queensland valued at $3 million, complete with over $200,000 worth of furniture and $800,000 in gold bullion.
She didn't believe it at first.
'Oh mate! I wouldn't believe it. I thought he was scamming me, and I honestly didn't believe it, and I still can't believe I've won,' she said.
As for Bob, well, he has had to eat humble pie about not wasting money on entering lotteries.
Mrs Croker is still struggling to accept that she has become insanely rich overnight, with no warning.
'Bob and I are very simple people and we live a pretty simple life. This is life changing,' she said.
The couple plans to sell the home and pay off their mortgage. Picture: Supplied
She said the win was absolutely life changing. Picture: Supplied
The dog groomer stressed that there are plenty of people who have done it 'tougher' but they've never been rich.
If they wanted to buy something, they budgeted for it; if they wanted a holiday, they had to save up.
The fact that neither will ever have to worry about money again is difficult to process, but they already know what they want to do with the windfall.
The Queenslanders don't plan to upgrade or move into the mansion but will instead use the money to make their current lives more comfortable.
The couple plan to remain in their home but pay off their mortgage, sell the mansion they've won and live off the proceeds for the rest of their lives.
'We will pay off our mortgage and then we've got stuff we'd like to do. We want to do some fencing on our little block that we've never been able to do,' she said.
'Bob also wants to buy a tractor!'
The couple is now worth millions. Picture: iStock
Mrs Croker said the other bonus is that they both plan to retire; she's ready to relax and never groom another dog, and Bob is going to finally retire from truck driving.
Their retirement has come sooner than either could have dreamt of and it's looking better than ever.
The 63-year-old explained that they'd previously planned to retire, use their superannuation to pay off their mortgage and live off the pension.
Now the couple are instant millionaires and have enough money not only to spoil themselves but the people they love.
Mrs Croker admitted she still can't wrap her head around it.
'This does not happen to people like us, just common people, but it obviously does,' she said.
Originally published as 'Oh mate': Couple wins lottery after entering every month for over 20 years
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