A Gladstone boilermaker has hooked the second-biggest Keno catch in history, a staggering $8.8 million windfall, and is reeling in a life of fishing bliss.
The Queensland resident scored the Keno Mega Millions 10 Spot jackpot in Keno draw 840 on Sunday 4 January 2026. He scored a total prize of $8,861,712.20.
Further north, a Cairns woman also scored a multi-million-dollar Keno prize, making it a winning week for Queenslanders.
When an official from Keno spoke with the Gladstone winner, he was still floating on cloud nine.
“Mate, you’ve turned a boilermaker into a fisherman!” he laughed.
“I’m just waking up. I’m pretty tired after celebrating last night.
“I’m just freaked. It’s like a movie. Eight point eight million dollars!
“I actually didn’t see my numbers come up, but one of the barmen whisked me away, and I thought ‘What is going on here?’. Once I realised, I’d won, I couldn’t even speak. I was just gobsmacked.
“I can upgrade the house and get a boat. I’ll be making sure my kids are right for the rest of their lives, and of course, I’ll be helping family. It’s so life-changing.
“It’s off tap, mate! I’ve been playing Mega Millions since it started, and I’ve got the same numbers I always play.
“The funny thing is, I’m always having arguments about which Spot type is best. People always tell me I should play the 4 Spot or 6 Spot but I’ve always stuck with my 10 Spot ticket.
“Woohoo! Thank you so much. What a way to start the year!”
His winning Keno Mega Millions entry was purchased at The Queens Hotel, 125 Goondoon St, Gladstone.
The Queens Hotel owner Phillip Blomfield said he and the team were ecstatic to sell their first major Keno winning entry as well as take the title for selling the second biggest winning entry in Keno history.
“Our first reaction was pure excitement. It’s an incredible feeling knowing that a visit to our venue has helped change someone’s life in such a positive way,” he said.
“Moments like this are what make being part of the local community so special. We’re absolutely thrilled for the winner and proud that The Queens Hotel Gladstone played a small part in such a big moment.
“We’ll be celebrating with our team this Sunday by hosting a staff party to recognise the moment and thank our staff for the energy and service they bring to the venue every day.
“Wins like this are exciting for our customers, but they’re also a great opportunity for us to celebrate the people behind the scenes who help make The Queens Hotel Gladstone such a great place to visit.
“We’d like to congratulate the winner and wish them all the very best. We hope the win brings them security, happiness, and the chance to enjoy something truly special.”
In FY25, Keno players across the eastern states of mainland Australia celebrated more than 76 million wins collectively worth more than $1.2 billion.
During this time, Keno crowned 20 millionaires and multi-millionaires who collectively took home more than $57.9 million. Four of these major winners were Queenslanders, including a Townsville man who scored $4.4 million.
Queenslanders enjoyed more than 27.3 million Keno wins totalling more than $450.7 million at pubs and clubs across the state in FY25.