Double joy for Lotto shop

Harpreet Gill, owner of the Bethlehem 4 Square where two lotto tickets worth $250,000 were sold. Photo: Joel Ford

The owners of a Tauranga Lotto shop are eagerly waiting for their two winning ticket holders to claim their prize.

Two of Saturday's four first division winners bought their tickets at Bethlehem Four Square and Lotto. The four winners will each receive $250,000.

A New Zealand Lotteries Commission spokeswoman said none of the four winners had come forward to claim their prize yesterday.

Owner Harpreet Gill had the paperwork ready for the winners to come forward and claim their prize at his store.

"The staff are really excited. We want to know who won too. We're happy with the win but we would be more happy if it was a local," he said. "It's a really rare case to have two."

Staff at the store believed the winning tickets were sold on Saturday and chances were high the winners were regular customers and Bethlehem locals.

Mr Gill said staff called to inform him of the win on Sunday morning and he raced down to the store to put up the posters and help check tickets.

The store had been busy on Sunday with people coming in to check their tickets and Mr Gill was expecting this week would be flat out with people wanting to buy a ticket from the lucky shop.

The store had sold its share of winning tickets but it was the first big win for Mr Gill who took over the business three months ago. "When you are selling so many tickets it's good to have a big win."

The other two winning tickets were sold in Countdown stores in Auckland and New Plymouth. Powerball was not struck on Saturday and has jackpotted to $20 million.