Mystery lottery winner still to claim $17.7m prize

The second winning ticket was sold at Take Note bookstore in Dinsdale, Hamilton. Photo / Christine Cornege

The winner of half of the biggest Lotto Powerball first division prize is still to collect the riches - and is missing out on thousands of dollars in interest.

After the April 9 draw, the holders of one of the two winning tickets, a Dannevirke family, presented it at Waipawa, to avoid being recognised.

But the person who bought the other winning ticket, at the Take Note stationery store in Dinsdale in Hamilton, is yet to claim the enormous prize.

Each ticket won $17.6 million from Powerball first division and $111,000 from Lotto first division.

Lotteries New Zealand spokeswoman Kate Richards said yesterday the mystery winner could lodge the ticket at any Lotto outlet but would not be able to collect their cheque until Tuesday as the commission was closed over the Easter break.

She said the delay was strange as winners normally presented themselves within two weeks of the draw.

"It is rare but not unheard-of that the winner hasn't come forward but it is starting to get a little unusual," she said.

"Who knows? Because it was coming up to school holidays and Easter, maybe they were holding off until now to come and see us or perhaps they are away on holiday and just don't know."

If the winner had banked their big haul just after the win, they could have earned several thousand dollars in interest.

Assuming interest of 5 per cent was paid daily on the $17.7 million, the winner could have earned $33,975.45 after two weeks - a yearly wage for many people.

Ms Richards said there had been instances of other first division winners taking their time before claiming their prizes.

A Big Wednesday winner from Te Kuiti won $5 million but waited for a month.

Another person took their winning $1 million ticket to the Lotteries Commission a day before its 12-month expiry date.

But despite some larger winnings including a $3 million prize in Masterton five years ago going uncollected, she said first division prizes "of this size" have always been claimed.

Take Note Dinsdale owner Gurpeet Minhas, whose store already had multiple first division Lotto winners, said his shop was flooded with customers early last week all wanting to know who had won the big prize.

He said rumours began to spread and people began concocting theories on why the winner was stalling on presenting their ticket.

"But the reality is nobody knows who has won it or what is going on and my personal opinion is the person doesn't know that they have got it or they just haven't checked their ticket.

"We are just desperately waiting for someone to take their ticket in and claim their money."

Mr Minhas said he was looking forward to getting a hamper from the Lotteries Commission for a "nice morning tea" with his staff for his shop selling one of the winners.