Immigrant unfazed by big lottery win

Press, 11 September 1985, Page 1

Immigrant unfazed by big lottery win

NZPA-AAP Melbourne A broken heart brought a young Yugoslavian to Australia 27 years ago ... and an Australian record lottery win in Soccerpools of more than $3 million is likely to take him back to his native land to try to find his family. The exact amount won by Branko, aged 52, the sole winner of the week-end Six from 38 jackpot, will not be known until today. Soccerpools officials told

Branko in Perth on Monday evening they believed he had won about $1 million. They flew him to Melbourne overnight, where the Pools media executive, Harry Beitzel, awoke him soon after 11 a.m. in the Royal Suite at the Regent Hotel, to tell him of the prize win in front of about 30 news media representatives. “Branko, you were told you had won z about $1 million, but I now have to tell you it wasn’t $1

million,” said Mr Beitzel. As if he had been expecting something less than $1 million, Branko, lying on his bed in a Regent Hotel bathgown, said, “Oh yeah.” “In fact Branko, you have won more than $3 million,” said Mr Beitzel. “Oh yeah, yeah,” said Branko, quite unshaken. He always liked a punt on the lotteries, spending up to $2OO a week until he went on workers’ compensation a few months ago. He does not own any property.