$32 million Powerball prize: Lotto apologises for website crash, blames high traffic volumes

Lotto customers were left in the lurch last night after the MyLotto website imploded due to the high demand of people wanting to check their tickets.

Around a million people bought tickets for Wednesday's $28m Powerball draw - almost 2.5 times what Lotto would attract for a normal draw.

The stress from the website and app from everyone wanting to check their tickets caused MyLotto to cut out, spokeswoman Kristen Robinson said.

"We're sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused."

Hundreds of customers took to Twitter and Facebook to vent their frustrations towards Lotto.

"Can't even check results and already told no one's won. Thanks Lotto for killing the moment," one player said.

"What's up with the app, man. How annoying hearing the results before I can even check myself," another said.

The website and app for Lotto crashed yesterday following the Powerball draw. Photo / Supplied

Following last night's draw (which, to reiterate, wasn't won) Powerball expanded to a jaw-dropping $32m.

And if Powerball was won on Saturday night, it would be the third-largest jackpot in New Zealand history.

A $1m Strike Must Be Won draw would also be running on the same night.

Lotto was expecting ticket sales to be even bigger, at 1.5m tickets total, for the next draw, which would eclipse last night's sale of a million tickets.

It was recommended that customers got in early to avoid a last-minute dash, Robinson said.

"We know that the last couple of hours before a draw are the busiest time for sales both in-store and online," she said.

"With $32 million up for grabs with Powerball on Saturday night, Lotto NZ recommends that players get their ticket early to miss the last-minute queues."

This year, 31 Kiwis became overnight millionaires after winning with Lotto's games, including 12 who have won big with Powerball.

In total, 906 Kiwis had become overnight millionaires with Lotto since it was established in 1987.

Meanwhile, in order of frequency, the luckiest number Lotto numbers had been 1, 7, 19, 22, 18 and 13.

Lotto facts and figures

• 75 per cent of this year's Powerball winners were male - however, it was a young female who bagged the largest prize this year to date.

• 42 per cent of this years's winners were 34-years-old or younger when they won big.

• 33 per cent of Powerball winners won by playing their own lucky numbers.

• 58 per cent of this year's Powerball winners kept working after their win, which followed the usual trend.