WA Women’s Gym Group Wins $80m Powerball Jackpot

A group of 54 women from a Curves gym in Western Australia has taken home $80 million after their syndicate won the entire Powerball jackpot last night.

Each member of the northern suburbs gym will take home $1.5 million from the win.

The gym members spent $5 each for a ticket in the draw and won one of the biggest prize pools in recent years.

Speaking to Triple M this morning, Sue, the owner of the gym, said some of the members had been at a Christmas dinner at an Italian restaurant in Heathridge when they found out.

"A group of us ladies from my gym were out at our Christmas dinner and one of the husbands rang and said 'Hey, I think you ladies just won the lotto' and we said, nah," Sue recalled.

"So I got the ticket out and we checked the numbers and you should have seen the restaurant it went into absolute chaos... it turned to mayhem."

Sue spent the morning calling the other members of the syndicate to let them know the good news.

"I have just had the greatest morning ringing people to tell them they have won $1.5 million. There's still about 10 people I haven't been able to get hold of yet," she said.

Not all gym members chipped in to the syndicate, and I can't even imagine how mad they are about that, but Sue said the win for the others will be 'life changing'.

"To win this and to share it with the most amazing women that I work with every day is the greatest thing ever and I feel so blessed that I've been able to share it with them and it is life changing for all of us and we are just beside ourselves, we really are," she added.

For Sue, the win couldn't come at a better time, as her husband has recently been made redundant.

"So, we were starting to get a little bit worried about what the future was holding for us so this has taken all that away now. We don't have to worry anymore, life's good," she said.

Sue said also said she would continue working at the gym.

Lorna, another winner from the syndicate, told 6PR radio she wasn't at the Christmas party, but 'felt shaky' after finding out the good news.

"I came home late, hopped into bed and checked my phone and I had these missed calls and I thought 'why would the gym be calling me?'" Lorna said.

"So, I rang them back and I said 'I hope you're ringing to tell me we've won Powerball' and she said 'yeah, we have'.

"I said 'don't toy with my emotions, I am not in the mood for it' and she said 'Nah, we've got it and we are the sole ticket'.

"She said 'get out of bed, get dressed and come down' and I could hear people screaming and champagne popping in the background."

"When I got to the restaurant, there were all these crazy women taking over the restaurant and the carpark and we have been drinking and talking and texting all night."

Lorna said all the women are thrilled with the news and, after a tough couple of years, she's delighted things have turned around.

"We go to the gym just to try to keep strong and we just laugh and have a great time and I am just thrilled for the other women," she said.

"It means a few financial woes have just gone for me and a few people I love."

Topics: News, Australia, Lottery

Hannah Blackiston