$30 million Powerball draw tonight as Lotto celebrates birthday

It's Lotto NZ's 33rd birthday today and with a whopping $30 million up for grabs tonight, what better way to celebrate than look back on life-changing highlights over the last 33 years.

"Lotto NZ turns 33 today and we're thrilled to be able to celebrate with a jaw-dropping $30 million Powerball jackpot tonight," Lotto's Head of Communications and Corporate Social Responsibility Marie Winfield said in a media statement.

In the past 33 years, there had been 943 millionaires made with Lotto NZ games, and already this year there have been 28 millionaires, including seven Powerball multi-millionaires whose lives changed overnight.

Powerball has been making multi-millionaires since 2001 and so far, a total of 191 Kiwis have experienced the life-changing moment of finding out they've won Powerball, the statement said.

The largest Powerball win so far came in November 2016 when a couple from the Hibiscus Coast scored themselves a mammoth $44.1 million.

Earlier this year, two winners from Auckland and Hawke's Bay shared the historic $50 million Must Be Won jackpot taking home $25.1 million each.

Every year, 100 per cent of Lotto NZ profits support more than 3000 good causes with more than $4.6 billion* returned to Kiwi communities since 1987, the statement said.

"We exist to generate essential funding for New Zealand communities – so we're incredibly proud to have returned $4.6 billion to charities and community groups. It's a staggering amount, and incredible to support amazing causes like StarJam and Heartkids, who do such wonderful work and make a huge difference in their communities," Winfield said in the statement.

Top five largest Powerball wins by an individual

• 1 Nov 2016
$44.1 million
Dairy Flat Food Mart and Liquor
Auckland

• 2 Sep 2013
$33.1 million
One Step Ahead
Auckland

• 3 Sep 2017
$30.2 million
Richmond Superette
Taupo

• 4 Oct 2010
$28.7 million
Mobil Papakura
Auckland

• 5 May 2017
$27 million
Martina Four Square
Thames

Winning information

• The most drawn Powerball number Powerball 2, which has been drawn 170 times
• Powerball First Division has been won a total of 191 times in the history of the game, which dates back to 2001
• Powerball has been won seven times already this year with another 21 players becoming overnight millionaires with Lotto and Strike
• The biggest Powerball prize won so far in 2020 was the historic $50 million Must Be Won draw in February, where two players from Auckland and Hawkes Bay split the prize taking home $25.1 million each
• The northernmost Powerball winner was a player from Taipa in Northland, who won $5 million in May 2019
• The southernmost Powerball winner was from a player from Invercargill, who won $20 million in 2013
• The biggest Powerball prize ever won was a massive $44.1 million won by a Hibiscus Coast couple in November 2016
• Players have been known to keep their winning tickets in weird and wonderful places – this includes taped to their bodies, underneath their pillow while they sleep, tucked inside the cover of an obscure DVD or even inside a piano stool
• The most common thing New Zealanders say they would spend a big win on is buying a house or paying off their mortgage
• The most northern Lotto store in the country is Houhora Wharf Four Square in Kaitaia and the most southern is Ship To Shore Four Square on Stewart Island.