A Cooma woman is staying true to an unwritten pact made with her best friend, vowing to split her recent Keno Classic win worth more than $60,000 right down the middle.
The New South Wales resident bagged the Keno Classic 8 Spot jackpot in Keno draw 206, drawn Monday 22 September 2025. She won a total prize of $60,713.40.
When an official from Keno called to confirm her win, the stunned woman relived the heart-stopping moment she checked her Keno win while sitting on the couch.
“I’m doing very good!” she cheered.
“I slept like a baby last night after coming down from all the adrenaline after checking my ticket.
“I was scrolling Facebook on the couch when I remembered I had some Keno tickets I hadn’t checked.
“I wasn’t expecting anything big - I’m used to winning $50, $60, or maybe $70 sometimes. But this was different. I thought I was going to have a mini heart attack when it said I’d won $60,000!
“It’s absolutely life-changing for me!
“I also got to surprise my bestie with the news and let him know he’s getting half.
“We’ve always enjoyed playing Keno together, and I guess you could say we have an unwritten rule where if one of us were to ever win, we’d share it with each other.
“He’s helped me a lot in life, and he deserves it as much as me.”
With more than $60,000 to hit her bank account, the winning woman confessed she needed some time to absorb the news before making any concrete plans.
“I’m still thinking it through before I decide on anything. I’m just feeling so grateful for the win,” she said.
“I know my best bud is already planning out everything he’ll do with his half.
“He told me the first thing he wants to do is to go on a mini shopping spree and treat himself to a new pair of shoes.”
Her winning entry was purchased at Cooma Ex-Services Club, 106 Vale Street, Cooma.
Cooma Ex-Services Club operations manager Rhianna Clark shared she hadn’t stopped buzzing with excitement since discovering her venue sold a major prize-winning Keno entry.
“I’m absolutely thrilled! It’s such an incredible feeling to know our venue played a part in someone’s life-changing win,” she said.
“The entire team here has been buzzing with excitement ever since we received the winning news.
“We’re excited to share the incredible news with our members and guests. We’re certain the major win will bring happiness, excitement, and unforgettable moments to our community.
“Congratulations to our winner! Enjoy all the happiness your prize brings you!”
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. Thirteen of these major winners were from New South Wales and the ACT, including an East Maitland dad who scored a $6.6 million windfall.
Players in New South Wales and the ACT enjoyed more than 39 million Keno wins totalling more than $636.3 million across the region in FY25.