“It’s Always the Apps”: South African Becomes Millionaire With R124M Powerball Winnings, SA Debates
- A South African woke up a multimillionaire after scooping a massive R124.6 million PowerBall prize in a single draw via a bank purchase
- The staggering win was also confirmed by the National Lottery operator, Ithuba, on its X account, bringing an end to weeks of national anticipation
- Social media users responded with controversy, sparking a heated debate about the bank affiliations of lottery winners and accusations of a potential scam
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A truly life-changing prize was claimed in Tuesday’s national lottery draw, creating a new South African millionaire.
The win, confirmed by the National Lottery operator, Ithuba, on its X account, had been a topic of interest for weeks among eager players.
A single lucky winner, whose identity remains unknown, claimed the incredible R124.6 million PowerBall jackpot. The National Lottery operator, Ithuba, confirmed the prize in a special announcement on Wednesday morning, bringing a joyful end to a long period of speculation. The winning numbers for the 5 August 2025 draw were also made public, allowing players to check their tickets against the winning combination.
Winning numbers revealed
The winning numbers were: 10, 32, 34, 40, 48, and the crucial bonus ball was 14. This particular jackpot had accumulated massive amounts over several weeks, captivating the country's attention and encouraging many to try their luck in the hope of becoming an overnight millionaire. The single-winner confirmation sparked further excitement, as the full amount would now be claimed by one fortunate individual who played via their Absa banking app.
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Ithuba's lottery journey
Ithuba is the official operator of the South African National Lottery. The company was awarded the licence to run the lottery in October 2014, and its operations officially commenced on 1 June 2015. This marked a new chapter for the lottery in South Africa, with Ithuba taking over the management and operation of all its games.
A statement published by the National Lotteries Commission at the time confirmed the awarding of the third national lottery licence to the company, signalling the beginning of its tenure as the official provider of lottery services to the country.
Source: Getty Images
Mzansi reacts to the PowerBall winnings
The news of the jackpot win shared on social media and the revelation that the winnings were secured via Absa bank were met with a rush of comments and reactions. Many people expressed suspicion, sparking a debate about the traditional and perceived methods of winning the lottery. This sentiment led to some users outright calling the system a scam, arguing that people using banks like Capitec are never declared winners, suggesting a bias.
Others expressed a strong desire to know the identity of the winner, wanting more transparency in the process. The debate also extended to whether the method of play (traditional lotto slip versus banking app) played a role in the outcome.
User @Monyela29Tebogo said:
"I am going to stop this scam, because I hardly see Capitec bank app winnings."
User @MazakaThePriest added:
"Ubani lowo (who is that)? Can the Absa IT support guys verify this?"
User @SouthAfricaKZNN
"After the new license, it's Absa now."
User @l_zakhe commented:
"It's very rare to see someone winning these days with a traditional ticket, it's always the apps, very suspicious."
User @AlostroX said
"You need to be investigated."
User @slikhuzwayo16 joked:
"@FNBSA ngavula account Nani ngoba ngilandela lama million (I opened an account with you guys, trying to follow the millions."
See the X post below:
On Sunday, 10 August 2025, the National Lottery warned the public about ongoing scams. They reminded players that the only way to win is by purchasing and holding a valid winning ticket. The Lottery will never email or SMS you with your prize amount or request personal information to process winnings. “Beware of such messages, as these could be a scam,” the X post read. Winners can claim their prizes from any participating retailer or directly at Ithuba offices.
3 Briefly News articles about lottery winnings
- A family man became an instant millionaire after matching numbers that scored him the R77 million PowerBall jackpot, playing via the Nedbank banking app.
- A South African man won R40 million in a Lotto Plus after matching all five numbers and the bonus ball on 28 December 2024.
- A lucky South African lotto player struck gold in the 3 October 2024 lottery draw, winning R104 million via quick pick.
Updated by Hilary Sekgota, Human Interest HOD at Briefly News.
Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.
Source: Briefly News
