Kristin Price
One of the luckiest Lotto shops in the North Island is hoping it will sell its 21st Lotto first-division winning ticket ahead of tonight's $20 million draw.
Today is "busier than normal" for owners Karen and Rob Lennon, who have seen more customers come through their doors since the store's first Powerball triumph two years ago, even some going on "roadtrips" to grab a lucky ticket.
"When there is a big draw on we get people coming, hoping that they will be our next big winner," said Karen Lennon.
Tonight, one lucky winner could take home the $20m Powerball jackpot.
Lennon said the store had a "practice run" on Wednesday night. "We got a second division on Wednesday night, which is five numbers and a bonus number, so we are looking forward to getting the six numbers and the Powerball tonight!"
Since the couple have owned the shop, it has sold 20 first-division Lotto winners, including two Powerball and Strike winning tickets.
The store sold its first Powerball winning ticket in 2017, a customer taking home $5.3m, and in June this year a whopping $16.5m was won by another lucky customer.
The $16.5m went to a young Auckland family, when the man returning home from a family holiday decided to pop into Wellsford's "lucky" Lotto shop while stopping to get dinner for the kids.
"The store is quite well-known for being lucky so whenever I'm driving past, I try to stop in," the man told the Herald at the time.
Although the big wins are very exciting, Lennon recalls some other prizes which are just as memorable.
"We have also had other prizes which are memorable to me because they have helped our customers so much. We have got so many stories about people in need."
Lennon said that one customer was an elderly man who lived out of town and desperately needed $600 to repair his car to get a warrant.
"He just bought a little ticket on the off-chance that he might win and he actually won enough to have his car repaired. That sort of story sticks with me quite strongly."
Living in a rural area, another customer needed to replace her septic system, costing up to $13,000. Their lucky ticket from the shop won a second-division prize, enough to pay for the septic system.
"It doesn't really matter what size it is, just being able to help people is wonderful.
"I've gone all goosebumpy now just thinking about it ... a tear in my eye," Lennon laughs.
Some winners have come in to say thanks and have offered donations to the couple's church.
Lennon said, "The best reward is being able to help our customers and make their lives just that little bit easier at the time."
The biggest Kiwi Powerball win in New Zealand was $44m, scooped by a young Auckland couple in November 2016 after buying their ticket at Dairy Flat Food Mart and Liquor north of Auckland.
More than $11 billion has been won in New Zealand since Lotto started in 1987.