A Hastings woman has struck it rich right before retirement after discovering she had won the $500,000 Lotto Strike Must Be Won draw on Saturday.

The woman, who wished to remain anonymous, is a regular player and described the win as “incredible”.

“I am still trying to get my head around it.”

She purchased her Strike Four ticket from Paper Plus Hastings earlier in the week and checked it on Sunday morning.

 “I marked it off by myself at home with my husband. After circling each number, I said, ‘Wow, look at this!’ I double-looked and triple-looked and started crying after realising I’d won. It was a big shock,” she said.

She is about to retire and said the win “could not have come at a better time”.

She immediately claimed her prize at a supermarket and went out with friends to celebrate on Sunday evening.

“We had a good night out, but I didn’t stay out too late, because of work the next morning.”

She said she still plans to continue working.

“This win isn’t going to change me. I plan to enjoy some treats and update a few things around the house but otherwise, I’m going to stay sensible.”

A winning $500,000 Strike Four ticket was also sold at Western Heights Foodmarket to a player from Rotorua for the same draw.

The Hastings win comes just over a week after another lucky Hastings woman won $1 million with Lotto First Division on Wednesday, March 22, after she purchased a ticket from Hastings Pak’nSave.