Last lotto spinner wins $500,000

Napier great-grandmother Lesley said she was thrilled to spin the final wheel in front of friends and family.

A Napier great-grandmother was the last person to spin Lotto's Winning Wheel on live television at the weekend.

And Lesley, who wished to keep her last name withheld, spun and won $500,000.

The "farmer's daughter and a farmer's wife" enjoyed a weekend of luxury at the Sofitel Hotel in Auckland's Viaduct Harbour.

She was also treated to a shopping spree with a stylist as part of her Winning Wheel prize package.

She said she was thrilled to share the experience with friends and family, including some of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

She won as much as the weekend's main winners - Rotorua and New Plymouth players each won $500,000 with Lotto First Division.

The Winning Wheel spin marks a decade since Kiwis were first given a chance to win $100,000 to $1 million by spinning the colourful wheel.

The long-standing promotion was never meant to last forever, a Lotto spokeswoman said.

A new-look live draw would screen on TV One at the same time of 8pm on Saturday nights.

The change was to match changing times - 40 per cent of players were understood to be accessing the website from their cellphones.

"There will be more variety in prizes and ways to win them rather than just getting a serial number."

Those holding unclaimed Winning Wheel tickets could still collect their money - with the choice of taking an average median "set prize"of about $250,000 or spinning behind the scenes.