Australian lottery winner had ticket on fridge for 38 days

Canberra, June 13 (IANS) An Australian man has claimed a multi-million lottery win, after discovering that the winning ticket had been stuck to his fridge for almost six weeks after the May 5 draw.

The resident of Katherine in the Northern Territory, became a millionaire after his lottery ticket was one of only two winning entries nationally in Tattslotto draw 3839, landing a prize of more than A$2 million ($1.5 million), Xinhua news agency reported.

His ticket was not registered to a Tatts Card, so officials had to wait for the winner to find them.

He said to a Tatts official on Tuesday that he had heard a division one win had landed in the region but did not think for a moment it could be him.

"I had the ticket on the fridge at home the whole time. It's just fantastic. It would take you all your life to earn that amount. Some of it will get used on things we need, but the rest will make a nice little nest egg for our future," said the man.

Kathy Smale, the owner of Katherine Exposure Photographics who sold the ticket, said she was delighted the winner had finally been united with their prize.

"We've had people coming in every day for the past few weeks asking if the winner had been found so it will be great to finally say - 'yes they have'," she said.