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Ex-Bucs star strikes it rich

TATA MA MILLIONS: Former Orlando Pirates player Graham Johnson has scored a Lotto jackpot win of R1,3million. Pic. Veli Nhlapo. 14/10/2008. © Sowetan
TATA MA MILLIONS: Former Orlando Pirates player Graham Johnson has scored a Lotto jackpot win of R1,3million. Pic. Veli Nhlapo. 14/10/2008. © Sowetan

Cecil Motsepe

Cecil Motsepe

Former Orlando Pirates player Graham Johnson must be smiling to and from the bank after winning the Lotto jackpot.

Johnson, 48, is the first person to go public about winning a lottery jackpot since the game returned under the new management of Gidani.

"I am ecstatic," the former Buccaneer beamed.

The retired soccer player is R1,3 million richer after lady luck smiled on him during the September 27 Lotto draw.

The father of two struggled to make ends meet after his soccer career flunked following a stint at Blackpool and Pretoria City.

He started selling clothes to earn a living.

On September 27 he spent R900 on the game despite his wife nagging him for cash to buy clothes.

He said: "She said I must just give her the money because I never win. I had a strong feeling I was going to win."

Recounting the experience Johnson said: "I had the Monday newspaper in one hand and the ticket in the other.

"When I finally realised that the number on one of the tickets matched those in the paper I became confused, thinking the ticket was the paper. I thought I was holding two newspapers."

Johnson had played: 8, 14, 16, 18, 29, 34 and the bonus number was 12.

Asked why he decided to go public, the footballer said he wanted people to know that Lotto was real.

"A lot of friends who never played Lotto have now joined because I am living testimony that it is real," he said.

Johnson, who owns a Toyota Conquest and an old BMW, said he had no intention of buying a new car.

He said he would pay off his bond and invest the rest of the money.

Gidani spokesman Thembi Tulwana said: "Each time a Lotto millionaire is created Gidani feels proud to be the executor of a life-changing experience. And when the millionaire goes public it proves that the lottery does have real winners."

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