FEEL GOOD: Unemployed man collects R47.8 million PowerBall Plus prize
The winner shared that he kept his ticket safely tucked under his mattress for days, unsure of the magnitude of what he had just won.
What would you do if you won R47.8 million?
For one lucky KwaZulu-Natal man, the answer was simple: Tuck the winning ticket under his mattress and take a few days to let the shock sink in.
ITHUBA, operators of the National Lottery in South Africa, have announced that the winner of the R47.8 million PowerBall Plus jackpot from draw number 1601, which took place on Friday, 28 March 2025, has come forward to claim his winnings.
The winner, a resident of KwaZulu-Natal, purchased his winning ticket at Raps Grocery Store with a R45 ticket wager, and selecting his numbers manually.
The winner shared that he kept his ticket safely tucked under his mattress for days, unsure of the magnitude of what he had just won.
“I always knew I would win someday,” he said.
“At this moment, I can’t even think of exactly what I’m going to do with all this money. All I know is that as an unemployed person, I have been yearning to live a better life. I just want to be happy.”
The winner, a regular National Lottery participant who is unmarried and without children, is planning
to use his newfound wealth to bring positive change to his life and the lives of others.
One of his first acts of generosity will be to donate a portion of his winnings to a local church.
ITHUBA CEO, Charmaine Mabuza, applauded the winner’s humility and vision: “This is the kind of story that reminds us of the life-changing power of the National Lottery. We congratulate our newest multi-
millionaire and are here to support him every step of the way with trauma counselling and financial advice to help him plan for a secure future.”
Reminder
All winners have 365 days from the draw date to claim their prize.
All winnings are tax-free and will be paid out within 72 hours of a valid claim.
ITHUBA is dedicated to responsible gaming and responsible winning and offers trauma counseling and financial advice for winners of R50 000 and above.
ITHUBA encourages all participants to keep their tickets safe and, for those playing with physical tickets,
to write their name and ID number on the back for security purposes.
Players must be 18 years or older to play. Play responsibly.
Winning numbers
As reported by The South African website the PowerBall Plus numbers drawn were 13, 14, 29, 48 and 49.
The PowerBall itself was 18.
The next PowerBall and PowerBall Plus draws will take place on Friday, 4 April from 20:58.
The estimated PowerBall jackpot is R100 million, with the PowerBall Plus jackpot now back to an estimated R5 million.
What’s the FIRST thing you’d do if you won the PowerBall jackpot?
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1
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