EXCITING times are here for LOTTO players across South Africa with three jackpots up for grabs every Wednesday and Saturday evening – giving players more chances at becoming instant millionaires.

Keeping in line with our promise to reinvigorate the lottery, ITHUBA, is bringing changes to the first game that was launched under the National Lottery portfolio of games back in 2000. ITHUBA is introducing LOTTO PLUS 2, which will add to the already existing LOTTO, and LOTTO PLUS games from 30 July 2017.  LOTTO PLUS will now be re-branded as LOTTO PLUS 1.

These recent enhancements of the LOTTO game by the National Lottery Operator – Ithuba – will result in more chances at winning the jackpot for players and most importantly more funds towards good causes among other benefits. The introduction of LOTTO PLUS 2 means players will now have a third chance of winning the jackpot and all other prizes at every LOTTO draw.

The amount of money distributed by the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund is always directly linked to the volume of ticket sales, and with over R2.6 billion transferred to the NLDTF for good causes since June 2015, the introduction of LOTTO PLUS 2 will surely lead to more funds being raised towards the good causes.

The LOTTO PLUS 2 will be priced at R2.50 including VAT at 14%, the same price as the second opportunity game, LOTTO PLUS 1. The LOTTO PLUS 2 is set to be a game changer in the industry. LOTTO Product Manager, Asad Gafoor, said the changes were made with the player in mind, and growing the millionaire winners’ pool. “LOTTO is the oldest game in the National Lottery game catalogue and very popular. Being the longest standing game, there is a need to keep the game fresh and enjoyable. This way we can give back more to the players,” Asad Gafoor said.

LOTTO players will for the first time ever have six jackpots to try for in just one week.

“LOTTO PLUS 2 is an addition to the current LOTTO, and LOTTO PLUS games and each draw will now carry a jackpot for all three games. We are not only bringing bigger jackpots, but we have also added an extra prize division which will increase the overall odds of winning,” said Asad Gafoor.

The LOTTO game is available on multiple channels including traditional retailers, the National Lottery web site, USSD, Banks, and handheld devices such as Flash, Kazang, Blue Label and A2 Pay, making the games easily accessible. 

To be launched on the 30^th of July 2017.

A North West man has joined the list of millionaires after winning the LOTTO jackpot of R17 527 655.10. After a string of bad luck, the LOTTO winner has finally seen lady luck smile his way.

Last year February the winner was diagnosed with prostate cancer and subsequent to that his life and family’s started to unravel. “After finding out I was diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer I felt like my life was coming to an end. I started cancer treatment and all I could do was hope for the best,” said the winner.

As the winner was busy coming to terms with the cancer ordeal, bad-luck struck again on the 18^th of May this year when he was driving to work. “My work requires me to travel a lot and on this day I was on the road and suddenly my left eye was blurry and I was struggling to see the road. I consulted a doctor and he scheduled an emergency operation. Unfortunately, the operation was not a success and I lost all vision in my left eye,” explained the teary winner.

After the operation, the winner couldn’t resume work and this affected his income, and in June he received his last cheque from the company as his sick leave days had been depleted. “We were already struggling to make ends meet as I was not earning a full salary since being at home. It was really tough without a stable income and being the main breadwinner I thought we were going to be destitute.”

After all this misfortune, on the 26^th of July 2017, the winner’s life was never to be the same again. On that day he won R17.5 million from the LOTTO draw. This avid player says he always had a hunch that someday he will bag the LOTTO millions.

Winning the LOTTO wasn’t the first bit of good news, he also recently found out after a recent visit to the doctor that he has been cleared of cancer. “You can imagine my shock when the doctor said my blood count shows that there is no trace of cancer. I feel like I have been giving a new lease on life,” said the winner.

The player spent R45.00 on his winning ticket and says the first person he shared the news with was his wife. “After visiting my local store and seeing I had a winning ticket I immediately drove back home and shared the news with my wife. She was in the kitchen when I told her the news we both started crying as we couldn’t believe it,” said the winner.

The LOTTO winnings have also allowed him to have another eye operation that will help restore his sight. He also plans to enjoy his retirement; invest some of the windfall, share the money with his children, and buy his grandson a car he promised him.

Ithuba also provided the winner with financial advice and counselling to ensure that the winner has all the knowledge, resources and advice on how to cope with his new wealth.

A man in his early forties has become the latest National Lottery winner after winning an impressive R5.2 million LOTTO Plus jackpot on 8 August 2017. With this windfall, he plans on realising one of his childhood dreams which is to move from being an employee and becoming an employer.

The winner who originates from KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) has big plans with his money, and more importantly, he will finally be able to pursue his farming dream. “Growing-up in rural KZN meant I was exposed to farming from a young age and I enjoyed every moment of herding cattle. From that young age, I knew I had found my passion and wanted to become a large scale farmer.”

But due to lack of capital and other resources, the LOTTO Plus jackpot winner had to settle for an eight-to-five job and become a full-time employee. “I had to put food on the table and needed a stable income, and that meant my entrepreneurial farming dream had to be put on hold – at least for the time being,” said the winner.

Even though he had a stable job, he still could not let go of his childhood dream. “I still wanted my farm and wanted to create jobs, particularly in the village I grew up in. This burning desire pushed me and in the effort of pursuing this dream, I compiled a business plan and with it I knocked on every door to try and get funding for my business plan, but rejection is all I got. No one wanted to fund the business.

“Even though no funding opportunities were coming my way, I refused to lose hope. I knew one day my dream will come true,” explained the jubilant winner.

Little did he know that R60 is all it would take for him to move one step closer to his dream. “I went into a garage and as they were filling-up my car I decided to play LOTTO and LOTTO Plus. My ticket was a quick pick and I wagered for R60.” That winning ticket made the KZN husband and father the newest millionaire created by ITHUBA, the National Lottery Operator.

Other than going into farming, the winner also plans to build his mother a house and also extend the size of his current house.

Ithuba also provided the winner with financial advice and counselling to ensure that the winner has all the knowledge, resources and advice on how to cope with his new wealth.

It’s been two years and five months since 30-year-old Paul Williams* won the national lottery and‚ to date‚ not even his boyfriend of two years is aware that he is a multi-millionaire.
In a telephone conversation with TimesLIVE‚ Williams said only his mother and sister were aware of his R7-million winnings from August 2015.

Asked why he has kept it a secret‚ Williams said: “People change [but keeping it a secret] was an easy choice. I will eventually tell him, though. My dream has always been to get out of debt and‚ now that I am out‚ I tell him that my dream is to buy an island. Maybe we will buy it together‚” he chuckled.

At 27‚ Williams was dealing with a break-up and had mounting debt after losing his job. On his way home from dinner with friends‚ they stopped at a local Spar supermarket and‚ while his friends purchased other items‚ he bought a lottery ticket worth R50. His life changed forever the next morning when he discovered he had won.

“I woke up early and checked the ticket and saw I had the matching winning numbers but I still wasn’t sure whether I had won. I wasn’t really sure how you win‚” he said.
“I called my sister and she confirmed that I had won and I then called my mom. We were meant to discuss my future [since I was unemployed] when I told her that she doesn’t need to worry about me anymore‚” he said.
He and his family headed to the lottery offices in Johannesburg‚ where his win was confirmed. He was offered psychological and financial counselling and‚ two weeks later‚ the money was in his account.

He did not take up the financial advice but spoke to the psychologist.
“That helped me to work through my emotions. I would not be in a good place if it wasn’t for the psychological help‚” he said. Williams still sees a psychologist every week. “I think the counselling is a must‚” he said. “People sometimes frown upon you seeing a psychologist but it helps. It helps in understanding why certain things are the way they are‚” he said.
Since then‚ Williams has invested in a farming business but says he “hasn’t really worked”. Despite being an instant millionaire‚ he continues to live a modest lifestyle.

“I didn’t have a car back then. I had sold it because of all my debt so [after the win]‚ I bought a second-hand Audi TT model. I still live in the same house. I just made the place nicer and I have someone who now takes care of the garden‚” Williams said.

He kept his winnings under wraps by telling his friends that his mother had fixed up the house for him. He explained his new car by saying he had scored a lucrative job.
Prior to his winnings‚ he was never one for designer brands. That hasn’t changed. He still shops at Mr Price and Pick n Pay Clothing‚ occasionally at Woolworths.

“Clothing‚ I would say‚ I still keep the same‚” Williams said. “If you make big changes‚ in 5 to 10 years you may have nothing left.”
One of the most difficult things‚ however‚ has been to stop himself from wanting to help every person he comes across who is in need of financial assistance. He does‚ however‚ lend a helping hand wherever he can.
Now‚ he lives off the interest of the money he has saved up as well as some of the profits of his business.

“I still save up as much as I can‚” he said.
He admits that he enjoys his wealth‚ which he estimates at roughly R20-million. A typical day involves waking up early‚ playing computer games and doing research on new businesses, and then doing work towards an online course he recently started.

“I live on a big farm‚ so I also take the dogs for a walk and feed the cattle, but I don’t have to do that and it feels good not to worry about money‚” Williams said.
He is now looking into buying property overseas.

“I still play the lotto and I have won small amounts since then‚” he said.

*Not his real name