Lotto prize jackpots to $20 million

Lotto players have missed out on tonight's $18 million jackpot which has rolled over to Wednesday. File photo

Powerball has jackpotted to $20 million after it was not struck tonight.

Lotto players have missed out on tonight's $18 million jackpot which has rolled over to Wednesday.

It's the first time the Powerball prize has reached $20 million since June last year when a Rotorua family became instant millionaires after winning $24.3 million with Powerball First Division.

Strike Four has also rolled over and will be worth $200,000 on Wednesday night.

There were a handful of First Division winners tonight with players in Auckland, Palmerston North, Wellington and Rolleston winning $250,000 each.

The winning tickets were sold at New World Stonefields in Auckland, Melody's New World in Palmerston North, Paper Plus Johnsonville in Wellington and Rolleston New World.

Lotto tonight urged anyone who had bought their ticket from any of the winning stores to write their name on the back of the ticket and check it immediately at any Lotto outlet, online or through the Lotto NZ ticket-checker app.

The biggest win in recent years was $33 million in Auckland in 2013, followed by $28 million in Auckland in 2010.

New Zealand's most famous Lotto winner, Trevor Cooper, from Te Kauwhata, had the third biggest win - nearly $27 million in March 2012.

He was working as a checkout operator at Countdown in Huntly when he won. Mr Cooper invested in real estate, and made a profit on his Karaka mansion.

He also indulged his love of motorsport with a series of purchases, including American streetcars, sprint cars, offroad cars, a speedboat and numerous trips to the United States to race in prestigious events.

It wasn't a smooth road for Mr Cooper, however. In 2013, a source told the Herald on Sunday his family was distraught about the way things had turned out and he had not spoken to his closest family members for several months.

In January, a Timaru family won $7 million in Powerball and a Hamilton couple won $7.5 million in Powerball.

Last week, three people won $333,333 in Lotto first division.

In March, a lucky punter in Wairoa, Hawke's Bay won $500,000 in Lotto first division.