(MENAFN- Live Mint) A paint shop employee from Alappuzha has become the newest millionaire in Kerala after winning the ₹25 crore Thiruvonam bumper lottery, one of the state's biggest annual draws, The Hindu reported.

The lucky winner, Sarath S Nair, works at a paint shop in Nettoor, Kochi. His identity was confirmed two days after the results were announced on Saturday, as he initially chose to remain silent until he could safely deposit the winning ticket at the bank.

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On Monday, Sarath visited the bank along with his brother to hand over the winning ticket and complete the formalities. Speaking to reporters afterwards, he said he was still processing the life-changing news.

“It was for the first time that I bought a bumper ticket, though I've purchased smaller lottery tickets before. I haven't yet decided how to use the money, but my first priority will be to settle some liabilities,” he said.

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After deducting taxes and commissions, Sarath is expected to receive around ₹15.75 crore from the total prize amount.

He added that he had deliberately stayed quiet after the draw to avoid attention until the ticket was verified and safely deposited.

“I feel very happy. I thought I would tell everyone once I was sure I had won,” he said.

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Kerala's state lotteries, run by the government, are among the most popular in India and have often turned ordinary citizens into overnight millionaires. The Thiruvonam bumper, released every year during the Onam festival, is the most lucrative of them all.

Meanwhile, a woman in Virginia, United States, won $100,000 after stumbling upon a box of old lottery tickets hidden away in her closet, Fox News reported.

The winner, identified as Alfreda Hawkins, was cleaning her house when she came across the tickets. Deciding to scratch them off, she realised that one of them - an Extreme Cash ticket - was worth the massive prize.

“It was amazing,” Hawkins said in a statement shared by the Virginia Lottery, adding that the unexpected discovery left her almost speechless.

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