South African Powerball Lottery Winner Mix Up - 02-24-10

February 24 - Ever since South Africa launched its own Powerball lottery a few months ago, lottery fans have been descending on lottery outlets nationwide like bears on honey, but for one avid Powerball fan in Cape Town, his so-called multi-million rand winning lottery ticket turned out to be anything but.

A few weeks ago, following many weeks of rollovers, the South African Powerball jackpot reached R91 million ($11.8 million). And when South Africa's national lottery operator, Gidani, announced that a single Powerball lottery ticket holder scooped the jackpot, Stanley Philander thought it was his lucky day.

However, it turned out that Philander, a 52-year-old deaf cleaner from the picturesque coastal city of Cape Town had a Powerball ticket with the winning numbers, but for the wrong day. And while an unknown 43-year-old woman handed in the winning ticket and was paid out, Philander's story was just beginning.

It seems that the cleaner bought his Powerball ticket on the Saturday following the winning Friday draw, but thought it was good. And when news of his ' good fortune' spread and the country's newspapers got hold of the story, everyone assumed that he was the rightful owner of the R91 million jackpot.

Philander and his family, including his also deaf wife and their two children, were even moved to a secret location 'for their own protection', but it was only when a newspaper published a picture of the cleaner's so-called winning Powerball lottery (and the wrong draw date) that the truth was finally revealed.

Said Gidani spokesperson, Thembi Tulwana, 'We were just as confused as everyone else. News of Mr Philander's so-called good fortune did not come from the National Lottery at all, as his numbers had nothing to do with the previous draw.' Obviously when he realised his mistake, Philander was disappointed.

The actual winner of the R91 million, however, can celebrate in the fact that she currently holds the record for the largest lottery jackpot payout in South African lottery history. The South African Powerball lottery was launched in October 2009, and comprises a bi-weekly draw every Tuesday and Friday.