“Buying a House Is First Priority”: SA Reacts to Lotto Winner’s Plans for Jackpot Money

• A fortunate South African has recently claimed a massive R10.8 million lottery jackpot, revealing that his priority is to purchase a comfortable home for his family
• The winner, who purchased his ticket through a banking app with a R60 wager and manually selected his numbers, had to verify his ticket multiple times before believing his good fortune
• While many South Africans congratulated the winner on social media, others expressed scepticism about lottery wins in general
• Briefly News asked financial expert Fulufhelani Mashapha how people should approach managing sudden wealth

A recent national lottery winner has come forward to claim a substantial R10.8 million jackpot in last Wednesday's draw.

The fortunate player, who has decided to keep working despite the windfall, shared that buying a comfortable and beautiful home for his family tops his priority list. This major purchase, he feels, will significantly reduce his financial stress. The winner explained that he had to check his ticket approximately 10 times before fully accepting that he had won such a large sum.

Read also

"I was in shock": SA questions reality as self-employed mum wins R40 million lotto jackpot

After confirming his win, he immediately told his wife and two close friends about the life-changing news. Despite his newfound wealth, the winner has no plans to quit his job, stating that he will continue working but now without the anxiety of stretching every cent to meet his family's needs.

View the post here.

How the lottery works in South Africa

The South African National Lottery, commonly known as Lotto, operates with specific rules and procedures. Players pick six numbers between one and 52, with each Lotto ticket costing R5 per board. For an extra R2.50 each, they can add Lotto Plus 1 and Lotto Plus 2 for more chances to win.

Numbers can be chosen manually or through Quick Pick, where the system randomly selects them. Tickets are available at retail stores, online, via banking apps, SMS and USSD.

Draws happen every Wednesday and Saturday. A machine randomly selects seven balls from 52—the first six are the main numbers, and the seventh is the bonus ball.

Read also

A man bought his wife a R1.8m BMW X5 for their 11th anniversary, leaving Mzansi impressed

To win the jackpot, all six main numbers must match. There are eight prize categories, starting from matching just two numbers plus the bonus ball, with higher prizes for more matches.

Briefly News spoke to financial expert Fulufhelani Mashapha about the best way to handle sudden wealth. She said:

"Limiting access to the full winnings can help curb impulsive spending. A drawdown-style investment allows for controlled monthly withdrawals, creating built-in discipline.

If gambling has become an addiction, seeking professional help is crucial to break the cycle and avoid chasing another jackpot."

Mixed reactions from South Africans

The announcement of the latest jackpot winner triggered varied responses from South Africans on social media, with some offering congratulations while others expressed doubt about lottery outcomes claiming it's a farce and a pyramid scheme:

@Carlos Mrejah Barista suggested:

"They must come forward as anonymous so that we may believe if that's true."

Read also

"Please send help": Afrikaner farmer's R110k home renovations leave him begging for financial relief

@Malatolemotors Malatole questioned:

"Is it true about this thing of lotto mara🙋‍♀️"

@Prem Naidoo offered positive wishes:

"Wonderful, congratulations! Please spend it wisely."

@Desire Smith Leech celebrated the win:

"Wonderful, congratulations, enjoy every penny."

@John Issac Williams voiced scepticism:

"In 2025 people are still falling for this pyramid scheme, yeses!"

@Moris Tshifhiwa simply called it a

"Scam of ANC."

@Nathan Maistry suggested marketing motives:

"Looking to attract more players."

@Yanga Batandwa Ntshingwa commented:

"Lucky fish."

More lottery stories

• A KwaZulu-Natal woman won R5.3 million using numbers her late father played before he passed away, spending just R5 on the winning ticket that many social media users credited to her ancestors' blessings.
• Briefly News reported on an unclaimed R8.4 million Lotto Plus One jackpot, with Ithuba CEO Charmaine Mabuza urging the winner to come forward before the prize expires.
• A lucky South African became an overnight millionaire after winning the Daily Lotto draw on March 14, 2025, joining several recent winners including a woman from Rustenburg who claimed her February winnings.

Source: Briefly News