But the crushing victory spelled the end of Matthew Guy's second turn as opposition leader as he announced he wouldn't put himself forward again for the role.
A sleep-deprived Mr Andrews, who made a catchphrase of getting on the beers during his media appearances during COVID-19 lockdowns, said he marked the election win with a few glasses of wine on Saturday night.
"I did not get on the beers but many others did, which I thoroughly endorse," he told reporters on Sunday morning.
The win gives Labor another four years in office after holding power in the state for 19 of the last 23 years while also marking the end of Matthew Guy's tenure as Liberal leader.
In a statement on Sunday morning, Mr Guy said he would not be standing again for the role.
"As soon as it is clearer which Liberal Party candidates will form the next parliamentary party room, I will call them together to elect their new leadership team," he said.
Earlier, Mr Andrews riffed on former Liberal prime minister John Howard's oft-quoted description of Victoria as the "Massachusetts of Australia", given its left-leaning tendencies.
"Massachusetts is the Victoria of the United States, be very clear about that," he said.
"We are a progressive state, we are a thoughtful state, we are the centre of critical thinking, we are the centre of all the big ideas in our nation."
Echoing a theme of his victory speech, the premier described the election as a triumph of hope over hate and stressed he would govern for every Victorian, including those who didn't vote for his party.
"Our politics may well be divided, but our community is united," he said.
Deputy Premier Jacinta Allan said the Victorian community had now twice "strongly endorsed" building the Suburban Rail Loop project, which the coalition vowed to shelve if elected.
Labor is on track to win at least 49 seats, above the required majority of 45, while the coalition is poised to secure 24 seats and the Greens at least four.
Eleven seats remained too close to call on Sunday morning, although Labor was predicted to win or was ahead in seven of the electorates.
If it takes all seven, Labor will finish one ahead of its "Danslide" 2018 election victory result with 56 seats.
The result was Mr Guy's second consecutive election loss to the premier.
The latest two-party preferred estimate has Labor leading the coalition 54.3 per cent to 45.7 per cent, a three per cent swing towards the Liberal-Nationals.
Labor's primary vote (37.1 per cent) has suffered a statewide swing of almost six per cent but the Liberals (29.7 per cent) also shed 0.7 per cent from 2018.
The Greens, Nationals and various micro parties have scooped up their primary votes.
The Greens are likely to win at least one extra inner-Melbourne seat, which leader Samantha Ratnam described as a "Greenslide".
The party was well ahead of Labor in Richmond on Sunday morning, while it remained in the running in Northcote.
Teal independent Melissa Lowe had hoped to win the inner-Melbourne seat of Hawthorn against Liberal John Pesutto but she was behind by several hundred votes as postal ballots rolled in.
Labor gained the seat of Glen Waverley and the newly created seat Bayswater and was ahead in Hastings, but it lost Nepean to the Liberals.
The Nationals also picked up Shepparton, Mildura and Morwell in regional Victoria from country independents.
About two-thirds of votes had been counted by late Sunday morning.
29°C