Winner Story | How Zoran turned $20 into a $240K New Year Win

When Zoran got the call from RSPCA Lottery, he was at work - waiting for his next client appointment. It seemed like any other day. Until everything changed.

When the phone rang, Zoran answered without thinking too much of it.

On the other end was the RSPCA Lottery Manager, Kirsty, thanking him for his support and sharing some unexpected news.

“At first, I didn’t quite hear it properly,” Zoran recalls. “I thought she said I’d won third prize.”

Excited but curious, he asked what he’d won. But then came the moment that stopped him in his tracks. “She said, ‘No, you’ve won first prize.’”

Zoran had purchased his tickets early - just $20 worth of tickets - and like many people, hadn’t thought much about it since.

So when he realised what he’d actually won, the moment didn’t feel real.

“I was just… shocked. I started shaking. I kept thinking, is this real?” Zoran shared.

The answer? It absolutely was. A life-changing prize, including a brand-new Toyota LandCruiser Sahara and $87,360 in cashable gold bullion was now his.

The first person Zoran tried to call was his wife.“I rang her straight away, but I couldn’t get through,” he laughed. “I called four or five times and said, ‘You’ve got to call me back!’”

When he finally told her the news, she didn’t believe him.

“She thought it was a scam,” Zoran says. “But I told her, no it’s real. We’ve actually won.”

From there, the excitement spread quickly. Friends and family all had the same reaction. “You always hear about people winning… but you never actually know someone who has.” Now, they did.

Seeing the prize in person made it all sink in.

“Once I saw it up close, I just loved it. It’s amazing, pure luxury,” Zoran says. “I’m still pinching myself.”

From sitting behind the wheel to exploring every detail, the experience was one he won’t forget anytime soon.

Beyond the excitement, the impact of the win has already made a meaningful difference for Zoran and his family.

Part of the prize included over $87,000 in cashable gold bullion which Zoran quickly put to good use.

“We paid off our daughter’s university debt the very next day,” he shared. “It helped her so much.”

With plans to build a new home, the timing couldn’t have been better.“It’s just come at the perfect time for us,” he says.

For Zoran, entering the lottery wasn’t just about the prize.“I’m an animal lover,” he says. “I have a beautiful Cavoodle at home, and I know the incredible work RSPCA does.”

Supporting animal welfare was his main motivation and winning was an unexpected bonus. “This is just a fantastic by-product of supporting such a great organisation.”

Since his win, Zoran has been encouraging everyone around him to get involved.

“After I told people, they all asked where to buy tickets,” he says. “I told them - go online, support the cause… and you could win just like me.”

Because someone has to be the lucky winner. This time, it was Zoran, but you could be next.