Forty winners claim Lotto First Division honours in draw

Forty of New Zealand's luckiest, or unluckiest Lotto players have walked away from Lotto tonight having pocketed $25,000 each in Lotto's First Division.

It is the largest number of players to win Lotto First Division in a single draw since the game began in 1987.

Of those 40, only two players won Powerball, both being topped up a sweet $2,525,000.

The winning Powerball tickets were sold at Countdown Hastings and New Brighton Lotto and Discounter in Christchurch.

The Powerball winning streak continues and is the second time this week it has been struck after a Silverdale winner received $7.2 million last Wednesday.

The Silverdale winnings are yet to be claimed and Lotto NZ is urging players to check their tickets.

Amazingly, the winning numbers were: 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, Bonus 36, Powerball 7, and strike 3, 13, 7, 11.

Strike Four went unsnared and the tally for it has rolled over for the next draw.