A three-year-old boy has become New Zealand's youngest ever Bonus Bonds prize recipient after winning 1 million NZ dollars (728,683 U.S. dollars) in the investment lottery scheme.

The boy's Bonus Bonds account was set up when he was born, with just 250 NZ dollars (about 182 U.S. dollars) worth of bonds, given by a relative.

The boy had just returned from holiday with his family when they were told the news, according to the New Zealand Herald.

"My husband was literally pumping the air when he was on the phone," the boy's mother told the newspaper.

The toddler's parents always believed he was special, being born on Christmas Day, said the report.

Bonus Bonds is a New Zealand unit trust with a reward scheme based on cash prizes to savers every month. 1 million NZ dollars is the biggest monthly prize.

Source : XINHUA