THE Hunter Valley was abuzz on Friday with the news a local couple had won a $100 million jackpot.
The massive windfall saw Singleton go viral as the small-town rumour mill started spinning.
"Everybody's been talking about it," mayor Sue Moore told the Newcastle Herald on Friday.
She joked that while she too was a winner in the unprecedented $200 million Powerball on Thursday night, she only took home 70 cents.
The Singleton man and woman purchased a 50-game ticket online for about $70 and scored half of the prize on offer.
"Whoever it is, best of luck to them," Cr Moore said.
The couple has not been identified but she joked that the Singleton "grapevine is very good".
"Yeah, it's a huge amount, and I'm always pleased to see a big amount like that shared between winners," Cr Moore said.
A Queensland woman discovered on Friday that she would take home $100 million while she was getting ready for an early-morning gym class.
Cr Moore threw in a plug for Singleton in the hope the massive prize would pay off for the small town.
"We're always encouraging people to spend in their local town and support local business," she said.
The Royal Hotel's Amanda Burgess told the Herald it was exciting to hear a local couple had won the big bucks.
"It's going to be a great future for them," she said.
"Anyone that won it would be in disbelief to begin with."
She said some pub-goers had brought it up around the bar on Friday, and she "absolutely" expected it to be a hot topic over drinks on the weekend.
"Anything like that happens in a small town and it's kind of big news - or anywhere really," she said.
"I reckon there'll be a few mentions over the weekend, for sure."
The Powerball jackpot jumped to $200 million after no one snagged the top prize for six weeks.
People across the region took to social media to voice their thoughts, wish the couple congratulations, or have a laugh.
"Wanted Powerball, instead I got power bill," one posted.
Another group used the win to promote "the rest of us" to try their luck at fundraising meat raffles at a local pub.
The Singleton couple reportedly answered the Lott's call on the first ring as they lay in bed shortly after the draw on February 1.
"It's a lot of money. A lot of money to fathom!" the woman said.
"Well, I absolutely won't be working anymore! I mean, honestly, do I really need to?
"My partner is here with me now. He's a bit in shock. He loves his job, so I don't know if he'll be retiring."
Alongside the two division-one winning entries, 22 lottery ticket holders each bagged the division-two prize of $177,093.
The odds of a single entry winning the division-one prize are more than 134 million to one - about the same chance as being struck by lightning twice in a lifetime.
- With AAP
