AN AUSSIE widower was dealt an unexpected blow after winning £32,000 on the lottery and has warned other punters to be careful what they wish for.
Frank Kemmler, 70, from Adelaide, South Australia couldn’t believe his luck when he learned of his massive win.
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The pensioner immediately phoned his family and told them to pack their bags for a holiday.
But his elation turned to dread when he visited his local Centrelink to complete some paperwork regarding his disability support pension.
There, Mr Kemmler said, he was informed his lottery win was considered a form of income as it would be paid to him in monthly instalments, so he was no longer eligible to receive his pension.
He told Australian TV program A Current Affair: “I rang the family. I said, ‘Pack up, we’re going on a holiday!’
“[It] was a bit of a disillusionment. You think you win on the one hand, but they take it away with the other hand.”
As an income-earner, Mr Kemmler was required to pay full price for medication and doctor appointments that were previously covered under his pension.
He urged other Aussies to be careful what they wish for and understand that they could also lose their government benefits if they manage to snare a lottery windfall.
Mr Kemmler said: “The pension is not really my main worry, because I’m just trying to stop other people from falling into the same trap.
“These people that are buying these [lottery] tickets, there’s no warning anywhere… to say that you’re going to lose your pension.
“If I’d known then what I know now, I would’ve given the win to my daughter and kept the pension for myself.”
The 70-year-old has now spent his winnings and reapplied to receive the pension, but has reportedly been told he may have to wait up to six months before he’s put back on the program.
A pension spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia they will “work directly with Mr Kemmler to ensure he’s getting the support he is eligible for.”
Meanwhile, in the UK, a woman who was living on Universal Credit has become a millionaire thanks to two twists of fate.
Anita Campbell, from County Durham, saw her life change forever after bagging an eye-watering bingo jackpot twice in ten days.
The 51-year-old had been a frequent visitor at Mecca Bingo Sunderland until her mother passed away in 2018.
After the heartbreaking death, Anita decided to re-open her account online and deposit £100.
And within just hours of opening her Mecca account, the mum-of-four was able to scoop a jaw-dropping £597,000.
Miraculously, luck struck Anita twice when she decided to play again a week later.
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The shocked punter managed to bag another £552,000 just days from her first win.
