Winning the lotto is one of the most popular dreams for people worldwide. Lottos had the capacity to pay outrageous prizes hundreds of years ago, but nowadays, lotto jackpots are often unbelievable. The industry has expanded significantly over the last century, as more and more countries have legalised lottos. South Africa is one of the fastest-growing markets, known for supplying a handful of winners with life-changing prizes.
In fact, South Africa has some of the youngest lotto winners worldwide. Its younger population are keen buyers of lotto tickets, especially since they’ve heard stories about teenage winners or winners in their twenties. It got us thinking, who are some of South Africa’s youngest-ever lotto winners? Stay with us for an exploration.
Some of South Africa’s Youngest Lotto Winners
For one reason or another, many of the world’s luckiest lotto winners tend to be older rather than younger. One explanation for this, perhaps, is that young people don’t tend to have as much money to spend on lotto tickets, so their chances of winning are often diminished. Nevertheless, several lucky South African lotto winners have been on the receiving end at surprisingly young ages.
18 & 20: R6,020,852
The South African lotto created its youngest millionaires in 2003 when an 18 and 20-year-old couple won a massive R6,020,852. It was their third lotto ticket, bought for only R20. The couple couldn’t believe their luck, especially when it transpired that no other winning tickets had been sold.
The 20-year-old young adult was also surprisingly sensible with his intentions of what to spend the money on. He said in an interview:
“If we are smart and invest properly, we’ll be set for the rest of our lives. We would also both like to further our studies and, being able to pay for ourselves, we will study what we are passionate about.”
21: R531,938
A 21-year-old from KwaZulu-Natal won a hefty R531,938 via the daily lotto in July 2019. His winning ticket cost just R6, so he won quite a profit. The young adult turned out to be a true philanthropist, using his winnings to help his family and the elders in his local community.
23: R3,000,000
A 23-year-old student from Durban won approximately R3,000,000 from the lotto plus 1 in August 2021. She bought a quick-pick ticket, largely on a whim, and ended up winning enough to set her up for life. As she said herself:
“My wish has always been to build my mother her dream home where she can retire. I am also currently completing a course in business management and the winnings will go towards achieving many of my dreams. I want to complete my studies, invest and spoil my siblings.”
A History of Lottos in South Africa
The history of South African lottos is much shorter than in most countries. The Government only launched a fully legal lotto in 1998, after The National Lotteries Act passed in 1997. It quickly became a popular fixture for millions of South Africans. The live draws were hosted by famous icons such as Nimrod Nkosi, and lotto fever swept across the country.
Nowadays, there are several SA lotto variations for people to enjoy. Lotto and powerball are the most popular, but you can also bet on games like lotto play and wina manje.
Other Ways to Enjoy the Lotto
Nowadays, you don’t even need to enter the lotto to enjoy the fun. For example, fixed odds lotto betting is getting more and more popular. Lottoland in South Africa offers punters various opportunities to bet on fixed odds lottos. Fully licensed by the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board, this is a great alternative way to enjoy the lottery.
What Does the Future Hold for Global Lottos?
Global lottos aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. They are still immensely popular worldwide, even in places like the UK where they have been a long-term public fixture. For example, the annual sales of the National Lotto have gone from £5,149 million in 2008 to £8,095 in 2021. This just goes to show that global lottos won’t stop growing in the near future!
