Lotto urges players to check their drawers for $30m Powerball ticket

Lotto says the winning Powerball ticket could be tucked away in a drawer somewhere. Photo/Supplied

Someone in New Zealand has a Lotto Powerball ticket worth $30 million but they still have not come forward.

The prize was won on Saturday by a ticket bought from Richmond Superette in Taupo.

But store manager Jessica Lin said as of 4.30pm today nobody had claimed the prize, although the shop has been busy with people checking their tickets.

Lotto NZ is calling for players to dig out their tickets to check them.

"While most big winners keep their Lotto tickets in their wallet, it's not unusual for tickets to turn up in some obscure places," the gambling company said.

"Big winning tickets have been found everywhere from in underwear drawers and Bibles to car glove boxes and DVD cases."

Last year a Hamilton man got a surprise $333,333 after cashing in an old Lotto ticket he had found in his desk drawer.

"I had to go and collect something from work and decided I may as well clean out my desk drawer while I was there," he said.

"I pulled out a handful of old receipts, then I saw my Lotto wallet buried beneath all the junk. I quickly grabbed it and when I opened it up, there was my missing Lotto ticket!"

Lotto asked some big ticket winners where they kept their winning tickets. It found 23 per cent kept the ticket in their purse or wallet, 11 per cent kept it in a drawer, and 5 per cent kept it under a pillow.

Saturday's win was the third largest Powerball win ever recorded in New Zealand.

The record goes to a $44m Powerball ticket which was won in November 2016 by a young Hibiscus Coast couple.

They claimed their win a day later but chose to stay anonymous and keep working.

Lotto NZ spokeswoman Kirsten Robinson said players needed to "empty their wallets, dig through their drawers and get checking".

"We're looking forward to meeting New Zealand's latest Powerball winner. The champagne's on ice, all we need now is the lucky winner to claim their prize."