“What a Way to End 2025”: Lucky Lotto Player Welcomes 2026 R65 Million Richer, SA Reacts
- A lucky South African kicked off the new year with a life-changing fortune after matching all the winning numbers in the final draw of the year 2025
- The announcement appeared in a trending post on X, where thousands of people viewed the results of the massive payout, sparking an online debate
- Many social media users were thrilled to hear the news and congratulated the newest millionaire, while others debated the likelihood of such a significant win
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Source: UGC
One fortunate individual managed to beat the odds and claim a staggering R65,186,997 in the lottery draw held on December 31, 2025.
The official update appeared on X via the @sa_lottery account, sparking a major conversation among hopeful players who celebrated with the winner.
The jackpot winner matched the set of lucky numbers 4, 5, 10, 16, 22, 45 and the bonus ball 25 to secure the grand prize. While one person walked away with the millions, other players also found reason to celebrate during the festive session. Three participants, according to sa_lottery on X, matched five numbers plus the bonus ball and earned R25,844.90 each for their efforts. A much larger group of 390,363 players matched two numbers and received the smallest payout of R6.40 to close out the year.
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Lessons from lottery winners who lost it all
Stories shared by Old Mutual highlight the tragic reality of several South African lottery winners who lost millions within just a few years after their big wins. These individuals often wasted their fortunes on depreciating assets like luxury cars, expensive lifestyles, and supporting greedy friends or relatives who offered poor financial advice. Many faced devastating consequences ranging from failed business ventures and family fraud to criminal records and extreme poverty. To avoid these common pitfalls, experts suggest choosing associates carefully, investing the bulk of any windfall into interest-bearing accounts, and seeking professional guidance from a financial advisor.
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Source: UGC
SA reacts to the R65 million win
The post garnered massive views and a significant amount of comments from an excited online community. Many viewers called the winner extremely lucky for such a perfect end to the year. Some observers predicted a very happy 2026 for the millionaire and noted that they expected the jackpot to be won on the last day of 2025. A sceptical viewer questioned how only one person could win such a large amount and claimed that the math did not seem to add up.
User @desire_herx said:
"This is beautiful, congratulations to the winner 🥇."
User @Sandy_Wp_15 commented:
"What a way to end 2025. Congratulations to the winner."
User @Sithabiso16592 asked:
"One person wins it all, really?"
User @BlakeSebalo shared:
"Congratulations 🎊 👏🏽 to the winner. A great start for 2026👌🏽."
User @bramatshepien said:
"It was obvious that someone was going to win it on the last day of the year."
User @mohanoe_mohanoe commented:
"Somehow, I don't believe it. One, just one person? No, guys, something doesn't add up."
See the X post below:
3 Briefly News Lotto-related articles
- A local man who won the August 27, 2025, R41 million Lotto jackpot, a life-changing sum, shared his plans for his new fortune.
- A pensioner from the Western Cape became a millionaire overnight after winning big in the Lotto Plus 1 jackpot on April 23, 2025.
- A family man became an instant millionaire after matching numbers that scored him the R77 million PowerBall jackpot, playing via the Nedbank banking app.
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Source: Briefly News
