When Gisborne man Andrew received an email reminding him the Coastguard Lottery was open, he jumped online and bought a ticket - forgetting he'd already purchased one the week earlier. That second, accidental ticket turned out to be the winner.
Andrew won first prize in the Coastguard Lottery, with the choice of a Sealegs boat, a Range Rover Sport, world travel or the cash alternative of $195,000.
For Andrew, the win wasn’t about extravagance, it was about security. He chose the cash and immediately paid off his mortgage.
“It’s life‑changing,” says Andrew.
“It’s enabled us to get rid of our mortgage. Just knowing that if anything happens, we won’t have to pay our mortgage is such a relief”.
The timing couldn’t have been more perfect, after Andrew and his partner had endured a couple of challenging years. In May 2024, both were made redundant - a sudden shock after a lifetime of steady work. The situation was compounded when the company went into liquidation, meaning the couple missed out on their final salary, redundancy and holiday pay, totaling $24,000.
“It was a bit of a shock to the system,” he says.
“Being out of work and constantly wondering how we were going to pay the bills was tough. It was a hard couple of years.”
Then, in a whirlwind few weeks, everything shifted. Andrew secured a new job, and shortly after, the phone rang with the news that he’d won the Coastguard Lottery.
“Everything happened at once - the job and winning the Coastguard Lottery. It was a lot to take in,” he says.
When Coastguard first called, Andrew didn’t quite believe it.
“Honestly, I wasn’t sure it was real. For the first couple of days I still wasn’t sure,” he says.
“I’ve never won anything - maybe $30 on a scratchie”.
Andrew has been supporting Coastguard’s Lottery for five years, buying tickets online whenever he could. He had even set up a monthly $30 donation.
“Coastguard do really good work. They save a lot of lives. It’s a worthwhile cause to support.”
“I tend to support charity lotteries. I don’t gamble. But I like lotteries where you can support a charity and maybe win something. I’ve been supporting some charities for around 35 years.”
After decades of supporting charities, and five years backing Coastguard, Andrew’s generosity has finally looped around - with one accidental ticket paying him back in the most extraordinary way.
Want to win big while supporting a life-saving cause? Our Catch or Cash Lottery is open until 15 June, with up to $155,500 prizes or cash prizes all up for grabs. Buy your tickets here
