Six lucky Lotto players have split last night’s $1 million First Division prize, as Powerball soars to a near-record high.
The players will each pocket $166,667.
Only one winning First Division ticket was sold in-store - this was at Whitcoulls Nelson in Nelson.
The other five winners bought their tickets through the MyLotto app, and are based in Auckland, Waikato, Tauranga, Tararua and Otago.
Strike Four - a $200,000 prize - was split by two Auckland players and a Canterbury punter. Their tickets were sold at Pak’nSave Papakura, Fresh Choice Leeston and through MyLotto.
Powerball still hasn’t been struck, so the jackpot will balloon to a rare $45 million ahead of the next live draw on Wednesday.
“It’s now the highest it’s been since August last year when an Auckland family scored themselves $44.67m – the biggest ever Powerball prize won on a single ticket,” said Will Hine, Lotto NZ’s head of corporate communications.
The largest to ever be on offer was a mammoth $50m Powerball jackpot in 2020, which two players ended up splitting.
“High jackpots are exciting, and we know New Zealanders all around the country will be dreaming about what they would do if they won $45m on Wednesday,” Hine said.
“But we are encouraging our players to remember that big jackpots still have small odds, and one ticket is enough to be in the draw.
“We also recommend getting your ticket early - stores are likely to be busy on Wednesday afternoon, as will MyLotto in the evening, so we recommend avoiding those peak times if you can.”
Last night’s draw ended with a celebration for host Sonia Gray’s 20 years as a Lotto presenter.
Fellow presenter Jordan Vandermade appeared on set to make a surprise presentation of flowers to Gray on behalf of her Lotto and TVNZ colleagues.
On Wednesday, another four players woke up a little richer after splitting the First Division prize, each taking home $250,000.
Wednesday’s lucky tickets were sold at Hamilton’s Gordonton Superette, Lower Hutt’s New World Hutt City, Invercargill’s Collingwood Foodcentre and on the MyLotto app to a Carterton local.
A week ago, two First Division players – one from Auckland and another from the West Coast – split the $1 million prize, each taking home $500,000.
One ticket was sold through the MyLotto app, while the West Coast winner bought theirs at New World Westport in Westport.
Players also found success in the Strike Four draw, with two from Nelson and Waimate claiming $100,000 each.
Ticket holders can see immediately if they have won if they purchased a ticket through MyLotto. Prizes of $1000 or less are automatically credited to the account.
For prizes of more than $1000, winners must complete an online prize form.
Winners with a physical ticket must still visit a Lotto retailer to claim their prize.
For the Powerball jackpot to be claimed, a ticket holder must get all six Lotto numbers correct as well as the added Powerball number.
January 8: $7m, MyLotto player in Wellington.
January 22: $8.3m, MyLotto player in Taranaki.
February 8: $10.5m, Glenview Centre Lotto and Post, Hamilton.
February 26: $10.5m, Paper Plus Waihī and Toyworld, Waihī.
March 15: $5.5m, New World St Martins, Christchurch.
March 15: $5.5m, New World Gardens, Dunedin.
March 22: $5.3m, Windsor on the Spot Express, Port Chalmers.
April 23: $23.3m, MyLotto, Auckland.
May 21: $17.2m, New World Whitby, Porirua.
June 21: $15.08m, Plaza Supervalue, Invercargill.
June 21: $15.08m, MyLotto, Wellington.
July 9: $10.3m, MyLotto, Christchurch.
August 9: $20.25m, MyLotto, Christchurch.
August 30: $12.5m, MyLotto, Ōpōtiki.
September 13: $10m, MyLotto, Dunedin.
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