Young dad who was sacked because of coronavirus pandemic enjoys a huge change in fortunes after $4.8 MILLION lottery win
- A young dad has won $4.8 million just weeks after losing his job due to COVID-19
- The man in his 20s scored the first division win in Saturday's 'Set for Life' lottery
- He will receive $20,000 a month for the next 20 years - or a total of $4.8 million
- Millions of Australians lost full-time, part-time and casual work due to COVID-19
- Long queues stretched outside Centrelink offices after businesses had to close
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- Learn more about how to help people impacted by COVID
A father-of-one has had an enormous $4.8 million lottery win just weeks after losing his job in the coronavirus crisis.
The Adelaide man was among hundreds of thousands of Australians made redundant when the pandemic hit, forcing the closure of many businesses and crippling the nation's economy.
But the man's fortunes changed in an instant over the Easter long weekend when he won the first division prize in the 'Set for Life' lottery.
It means he will receive $20,000 a month for the next 20 years, or $4.8 million in total.
A father-of-one has had an enormous $4.8 million lottery win just weeks after losing his job amid the coronavirus crisis
Like millions of Australians who last month lost their jobs (pictured are some waiting outside a Centrelink office) the Adelaide man was recently made redundant due to the COVID-19 crisis
The man in his 20s said the prize would allow he and his wife to buy their first home, having only recently welcomed their first child.
'I checked my online account last night and saw I had won. I woke up my wife to tell her and she screamed,' he said.
'It's unbelievable! I checked my online account so many times to see if it was real... it is a wonderful feeling.
'We are a young family and we have a baby, so this will set us up for the rest of our lives.
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'I recently lost my job because of COVID-19, and so this just gives me complete relief. I have been so stressed lately, but now I am so happy.
'This gives us complete financial freedom. The possibilities are endless with this prize. This is a great feeling to have. I couldn't be happier!'
The man is the eighth person to win first division in Set for Life so far in 2020.
In the days after the federal and state governments announced strict crackdowns in the wake of the coronavirus crisis, long queues stretched outside Centrelink offices.
'We are a young family and we have a baby, so this will set us up for the rest of our lives,' the man said.
More than 800,000 businesses have registered for the government's jobkeeper payment, with millions of Australians unemployed
Many Australians who have never before relied on the government for help are now in desperate need of cash to pay bills, rent and mortgage repayments, or simply to buy food.
The federal government's jobkeeper payment provides up to $18,000 for those who have lost their jobs over a six month period.
A free childcare scheme was also introduced allowing all parents, regardless of their jobs, to save a around $2,000 per child over the next three months.
Someone who receives the JobKeeper payment, has free childcare, draws from their superannuation and negotiates a rent reduction could access more than $45,000 in financial support.
Federal treasurer Josh Frydenberg admitted on Tuesday the unemployment numbers are 'very concerning'.
He revealed that 800,000 businesses had registered for the jobkeeper payments.
