Going through a breakup is always tough. However, there are some things that can brighten your day – like say, winning the lottery.

Luck turned around for this recently single South African financial professional in his early 30s, who became the first multi-million jackpot winner of 2021 from the PowerBall draw, scooping up a casual R60-million on January 15.

“The winner purchased the ticket using the First National Bank (FNB) banking app, with a R52.50 ticket wager and a manual selection method. The winning PowerBall numbers in numerical order, are: 24, 31, 40, 45, 48, PowerBall 20,” said Ithuba Holdings in a statement.

After accepting his earnings, the winner announced that his relationship had just come to an end.

“My live-in girlfriend had just broken up with me, and I was not in the best of moods. By the time I checked the results on Friday night, I was by myself as she had already moved out,” he said, via Ithuba. “When I realised that I had won, I thought I was dreaming. I immediately went to take a cold shower and then came back to check again. It was real — Lady Luck was on my side, but clearly not so much for her!”

The new millionaire will receive trauma counselling and financial advice as part of Ithuba’s winner services package to winners of R50 000 and above.

The winner plans to invest most of the money, as well as donate to those in need.

“Because of my profession, I am clued up on the kind of investments I want, to ensure that my money keeps working for me and bears interest,” he said. “I am not going to resign. At the rate things are going, I am anticipating a retrenchment in the organisation that I work for and in the industry as a whole. So I will wait for the retrenchment package and my upcoming bonus. It’s money that I have worked hard for, so I am definitely waiting for it.

“It is really heartbreaking to witness the impact of the pandemic in our society. I want to help as many people as I can to meet at least some of their basic needs. I also want to do animal charity work as I feel that animals have really been neglected throughout this pandemic,” he said.

“Oh, and I will also buy my ex-girlfriend a fridge, probably a washing machine too, just to say ‘no hard feelings’.”

Picture: Unsplash

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