I won the lottery, but was worse off than before because of the shock rule

AN AUSSIE widower suffered an unexpected blow after winning £32,000 in the lottery and has warned other gamblers to be careful what they wish for.

Frank Kemmler, 70, from Adelaide, South Australia couldn’t believe his luck when he heard about his huge win.

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The retiree immediately called his family and told them to pack their bags for a vacation.

But his elation turned to fear when he visited his local Centrelink to complete some paperwork related to his disability pension.

There, Mr. Kemmler said, he was informed that his lottery winnings were considered a form of income since it would be paid to him in monthly installments, so he would no longer qualify for his pension.

He told Australian TV show A Current Affair: “I called the family. I said, ‘Pack, we’re going on holiday!’

“[It] was a bit of a disappointment. On one hand you think you’re winning, but on the other hand they take it away.”

As an income earner, Mr. Kemmler had to pay the full price for medications and doctor appointments that were previously covered by 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 land a lottery windfall.

Mr Kemmler said: ‘Retirement is not really my main concern as I am just trying to prevent other people from falling into the same trap.

“These people who buy these [lottery] cards, there is no warning anywhere… that you are going to lose your pension.

“If I had known then what I know now, I would have given the victory 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 he has reportedly been told he may have to wait six months before being reinstated.

A pension spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia they will “work directly with Mr Kemmler to ensure he receives the support he qualifies for.”

Meanwhile, in Britain, a woman living on Universal Credit has become a millionaire thanks to two twists of fate.

Anita Campbell, from County Durham, saw her life changed forever after winning an eye-watering bingo jackpot twice in ten days.

The 51-year-old was a frequent visitor to Mecca Bingo Sunderland until her mother passed away in 2018.

After the heartbreaking death, Anita decided to reopen her online account and deposit £100.

And within just hours of opening her Mecca account, the mother-of-four was able to rake in a whopping £597,000.

Miraculously, Anita was lucky twice when she decided to play again a week later.

The shocked punter managed to scoop another £552,000 just days after her first win.