"Cows Are Waiting"... Australian Farming Couple Hangs Up on $18 Million Lottery Call

Farmers Hang Up on Lottery Call While Feeding Cows
Learn of Jackpot Win Later Inside Their Tractor
"We Will Keep Working"

In Australia, the story of a farming couple who hung up on a lottery official because they were too busy, despite winning a real estate lottery worth 18 billion won, has become a hot topic.

On the 27th (local time), according to Australian real estate media outlet Domain, Andrew and Leonie, a couple farming in Queensland, received a phone call while they were sowing seeds. The caller was Ben Sokenes, the head of lotteries at Australia’s real estate lottery company, Dream Home Art Union. He was trying to inform the couple that they had won a real estate lottery prize worth 12 million dollars (about 18 billion won).

However, Leonie, who answered the call, told Sokenes, “It’s nice to hear from you, but this isn’t a good time.” Even when Sokenes asked for just five minutes to share important news about the recent draw, Leonie prioritized her farm work. She said, “Right now I’m feeding 300 cows who are all waiting for me,” and added that her granddaughter was riding in the tractor with her, trying to end the call quickly.

Even when Sokenes hinted that the prize was significant, Leonie did not stop working. She said, “It’s unfortunate, but let’s talk later. I’m too busy right now,” and asked him to call back at 6 p.m.

The photo is unrelated to specific expressions in the article. Pixabay

As promised, at 6 p.m., Leonie received the call again with her husband Andrew, this time inside their tractor. Sokenes informed them that the lottery ticket they had purchased for 50 dollars had won the top prize. Overwhelmed by the sudden news, the couple was brought to tears. Leonie said, “I can’t believe it. We have worked so hard. For the past two weeks, my husband worked until 2:30 a.m. planting crops. My husband is the most diligent man in the world.” Andrew responded, “I have the best wife in the world.”

The prizes the couple received included three luxury coastal properties located in Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria. They also received 1 million dollars (about 1.5 billion won) in gold bars, over 616,000 dollars (about 925 million won) worth of luxury furniture and home appliances, as well as travel vouchers and more.

Despite suddenly becoming wealthy, the couple expressed their intention to continue working. When Sokenes asked if they would consider quitting their work, Leonie replied, “Absolutely not,” adding, “We have to finish what we started. We’ll keep working.” It was reported that the farm they run was first established by Andrew’s father, who immigrated to Australia from Italy with nothing.

However, the couple said they plan to take a slightly longer vacation than usual once their crops have grown stably. Leonie said, “We’ve worked so hard so far that I think we’ll rest a little longer this time,” adding, “Many people will be able to share in the benefits of this good fortune.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.