A casual fishing trip turned into a windfall for 26-year-old Matthew Maurice from Darwin, Australia, who accidentally caught a barramundi worth 1 million Australian dollars. The young man had gone out with his younger brother to spend a few hours together on the boat, never imagining that he would return home a millionaire.

While fishing, Maurice caught a barramundi with a red tag, realizing it was one of the fish entered in the “Million Dollar Fish” competition. However, he did not know that he had caught the very fish that was worth the big prize. The incredible news was given to him by the Premier of Australia’s Northern Territory, Lia Finocchiaro, who said: “I’m going to give you the best news of your life.”

Excited, the 26-year-old immediately called his mother and brother to share the news. “I feel like I’m in a dream,” he said, admitting that he hadn’t gone fishing with the intention of making money. Maurice said he first wants to buy a house and pay off his financial obligations before thinking about other expenses.

The competition has been running for 12 years and this is only the second time someone has won the A$1 million grand prize. The challenge will run until March 31, 2027, while 96 other fish with tags worth A$10 each are still uncaught in Northern Territory waters.