A year of winning: 21 millionaires made through Lotto NZ in 21 weeks

It's officially the year of the rat, but 2020 also has a case for being the year of the Lotto draw - there has been one millionaire for every week of the year.

That's right, 21 winners in 21 weeks.

There have been 16 overnight millionaires with Lotto and Strike, with a further five multi-millionaires with Powerball.

There have been 16 overnight millionaires with Lotto and Strike, and five with Powerball. Photo / File

Most notably, the biggest Powerball jackpot in New Zealand history was struck on February 29, going to two North Island mothers who split the winnings.

And while both wanting to set up their futures, they were keen to indulge in a few treats along the way.

"I will definitely be buying a house, that's the first thing on my list. I would also like a new car," said one of the mothers, from Hawke's Bay.

"There'll be some travel in the future as well as some other fun stuff, but for now my priority is making sure I have a good plan in place for me and my family."

May had been the luckiest month of the year so far, with six millionaires made already - there are two draws left for the month too.

The month started off with success after an Auckland couple pocketed themselves $1 million with Lotto First Division.

Elsewhere, a Hamilton couple became New Zealand's latest Powerball multi-millionaires after scoring themselves $10.3 million almost a fortnight ago.

The man lost his job during the lockdown and, after discovering they were winners, he decided to surprise his wife.

Cutting out an article from a newspaper about how someone from Hamilton had won, and sticking it in an envelope, the man waited for his wife, a healthcare worker, to arrive home for lunch.

When the wife arrived home, the man asked her to open the envelope.

"I said, 'why are you showing me this?' He replied, 'it's us, we are the winners'," the woman said.

"We're still in shock, these types of things don't happen to people like us. We just want to be as normal as possible – we don't want this to change us.

"We feel incredibly lucky and want to set ourselves up for the future, but also look at how we can help others."

Less than a month before, a couple from Manawatu bagged themselves $13.2 million with Powerball.

The man said it was an incredible feeling, with a million thoughts running through their minds about what they could do with the money - for themselves and their friends.

"That's what is going to make it special for us – the pleasure we will get from helping people," he said.

Meanwhile, a woman in Wellington won $1 million this month after purchasing a ticket on MyLotto - she could not believe her luck.

The woman was looking forward to building a house, something she had always dreamed of doing.

And a couple from Te Puke also won $1 million with Lotto First Division this month - on the birthday of the woman who won, no less.

"It's the most awesome birthday present I could've ever wished for," said the woman.

"We have been saving hard to buy our first home. It has always been our dream, and this makes it a reality. This win takes the financial pressure off and gives us some options."