Lucky Lotto shops brace for rush of jackpot hunters

Queues have been forming at Hawke's Bay's luckiest Lotto shops, with players filing out clutching tickets they hope will net them the big one... tonight's $25 million Powerball First Division jackpot.

As if that wasn't enough, there's a second incentive; the Lotto Strike pool has reached $800,000 and it must be won tonight. If it doesn't get struck by a First Division ticket - or tickets - it will roll down to second division or further until it is won.

Hawke's Bay players could well be in luck, with the country's luckiest Lotto shop, Unichem Stortford Lodge Pharmacy, having sold a massive 39 First Division winning tickets over the years - including two winning Powerball First Division tickets.

Just last year the Hastings shop sold an $8.1 million Powerball First Division winning ticket, which a lucky local received as a birthday gift from a family member. This brought Unichem Stortford Lodge Pharmacy's total in big prize wins to $47 million and took Hastings district to sixth in the national rankings.

Napier district rolls in at number 30, with the Bay's second luckiest store, Napier's Andrew Spence Pharmacy, having sold about $32 million in winning tickets.

Andrew Spence Pharmacy retail manager Bryony Rowe said yesterday the shop was very busy.

"Not the busiest we have been - there have been bigger draws that caused even more excitement - but there have been queues already and it will get busier today."

At Unichem Stortford Lodge Pharmacy, retail manager Jess Gudsell said Lotto sales had been steady and today was expected to get quite busy. "We've seen quite a few winners here over the years and it would be really nice to get another one."