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Fremantle newsagent scores $200,000 Lotto win for five members syndicate

The West Australian
Five customers owe their Lotto luck to a Fremantle newsagent.
Camera IconFive customers owe their Lotto luck to a Fremantle newsagent. Credit: Lotto

A Fremantle newsagent’s “favourite numbers” have helped five of his customers scoop more than $200,000 each in Lotto winnings.

Lee Kokwai of Somes Newsagency has scored more than $1 million in prize money for his customers.

The newsagent chose the numbers himself before they were matched in Saturday’s draw, before selling them to five people as part of a syndicate.

“They were a combination of my favourite numbers and some at random,” Mr Kokwai said.

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“Lots of my customers love to play syndicates because it increases your chances of winning and they like the thought of sharing the prize.”

Each ticket is now worth $215,673 but so far only one of the ticketholders has come forward, while four others have yet to claim their prize.

A married couple from Kwinana were the first to claim their share after shopping at the store for a decade.

“We have been absolutely ecstatic since finding out the news,” they said.

“We’ve been playing syndicates with the same store for the last 10 years. For us, this win means we don’t have to worry financially and its enough to be comfortable.

“Maybe we’ll get an upgrade on our car too.”

So far this year, 44 West Australians have scored a division one Lotto win.

One of them was claimed by an unemployed security guard from Armadale who had fallen on hard times because of the COVID-19 crisis.

He claimed a $5.8 million division one Oz Lotto prize, which he planned to share with his brother.

“I really look up to him and he’s been struggling to find the finances to buy a house but I’m going to buy him a whole house now,” he said.

“I’m also going to go back to school and finish my commerce degree and learn how to manage my money. My mum will be getting a new car and I’ll buy myself a house and also set up my kids.”

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