‘I HAD IT STUCK ON THE FRIDGE’: NSW man wins entire $30m Powerball jackpot after tough times

A Hunter Valley man is now $30 million richer after winning Thursday night’s Powerball jackpot, with his life-changing ticket tucked in plain sight — stuck to his fridge alongside unpaid bills.

The man from Cessnock, two hours north of Sydney, said he had been doing it tough recently and was still shaking after getting the call from officials confirming his win.

“Holy s***,” he said when told the news, before breaking into uncontrollable laughter.

“I was just looking at that ticket this afternoon thinking, ‘Wouldn’t it be lovely to win’.”

He said the winning entry had been pinned to his fridge door — surrounded by bills that will now never need to be paid.

“There will be no more worrying about bills now,” he said.“I don’t care if I get a bill — it won’t matter anymore.”

The emotional winner said he plans to use the money to support his loved ones after going through a “rough trot.”

“First thing, I’ll buy a new house and look after the family,” he said.

The Cessnock man was the only division one winner in the Thursday night draw, taking home the entire $30 million prize pool solo.

The winning numbers were: 3, 32, 35, 14, 15, 7 and 34Powerball: 12In the 2025 financial year so far, 395 Australians have claimed division one Powerball prizes — 120 of them from NSW.

Last year saw 422 division one winners across all lotteries, including 19 Powerball players who shared a combined $758 million.

The biggest prize in Australian lottery history — $200 million — was drawn in 2024. An Adelaide man scooped up $150 million, becoming the country's largest individual lottery winner to date.

The next Powerball draw is scheduled for Thursday, May 15, with a jackpot of $10 million.