People queue for a Lotto Powerball ticket worth $34 million at the Radius Peter Dunkerley Pharmacy at Stortford Lodge, Hastings. Photo / Glenn Taylor
Terminals have been running hot at Hawke's Bay's leading lucky Lotto outlets ahead of tomorrow's $34 million jackpot Powerball draw.
But phone calls and emails have also been flooding in to Radius Pharmacy Peter Dunkerley in Hastings, and Andrew Spence's suburban Napier pharmacy.
"People who are out of town are
calling me or emailing me asking me to get them a ticket ... they want to buy it from here," Mr Spence said.
He had just spoken to a regular customer currently in Christchurch.
"He asked me to get him a ticket ... he'll fix me up when he gets back into town on Monday."
The Powerball jackpot, sitting on $34 million, must be won this week.
It will either be won outright or be distributed to the next winners down the chain - those with five numbers and the bonus, plus the Powerball number.
And that means some would-be millionaires are willing to spend large sums to be in with a chance.
"We've had one gentleman come in and spend $500 on combinations," Mr Spence said.
"Some people are making huge investments because they know it has to be won."
Queues formed as early as Wednesday, and he had sourced a third, portable terminal in preparation for Saturday's stampede.
"My guess is it is going to be the biggest Lotto day of the year."
Nanette Woodham, from Radius Pharmacy Peter Dunkerley, also said the phones had been running hot - given the outlet's national reputation as the hottest spot to get a ticket.
"We've had a lot of calls from people giving credit details and buying tickets."
With the prize at its biggest ever, she and the staff had encountered a lot of people arriving to say they never usually bought a Lotto ticket - but the $34 million had finally persuaded them to.
"We've had people spending $12 on a Powerdip to people spending $300 to $400 on tickets."
As Mr Spence said: "A lot of dream-sharing goes on when people come in to buy their tickets.
The main things we hear are getting free of debt and travelling ... it's all about hopes and dreams."
