I’m the world’s unluckiest lottery player… I thought I scooped £20m jackpot until I noticed agonising twist on my ticket
A MAN has revealed the tragic moment he realised he had not won £20 million in a lottery jackpot.
Rob Brodie missed out on the life-changing sum thanks to one small agonising detail, which still keeps him up at night.
The Australian dad, 57, was sure he’d bagged the top prize in March 2020.
After checking the numbers more closely, he realised he was just a digit away from splitting the huge £40 million prize with one other winner.
Brodie bagged six out of the seven Powerball numbers, and got a 12 where he needed an 11 in the last slot.
The world’s “unluckiest” lotto winner managed to take home just under £8,000.
Tragically, he didn’t notice at first and went to bed thinking he’d won.
The next morning upon closer inspection he realised his mistake.
He said: “I’m still loving sleep over it.
“I think of it often to this day, of how close I was and how gut-wrenching it was.
“It would have made me and my two children set… with a very comfortable life.”
When Brodie didn’t get a phone call that morning with good news, he thought he could still win a division two prize, which five other entrants had won – bagging £100,000.
The Sunshine Coast resident spent his winnings on helping his son buy a first car and gave some to his daughter.
Brodie found himself in division three after securing six correct numbers.
He said: “I felt gutted and felt sick being only one number off. Then I thought well the second division is okay but I then learned I only won the third division.”
The dad-of-two has worked in the merchant navy for 30 years.
He still rents the three-bedroom home he shares with his family.
Brodie said the money from a division one win would’ve gone to his six other siblings.
Tragically the Aussie said he called them to apologise the next day.
He said: “I felt sorry for them and rang each one of them to say sorry I thought I had the opportunity to help them.”