Air New Zealand ‘Sweetstake’ lollie jar competition to give away 1 million airpoints

The giant lolly jar will be in Pūtahi Park, Whangārei untill 2pm today then move to Auckland on October 2. Photo / Supplied

If you love the Air New Zealand lollies, prepare to exercise some self-control; a 4.5m-tall jar of them will be making its way around the country this month.

The airline has taken the “guess the lollies in the jar” game to a whole new level in what it’s calling the Air New Zealand Sweetstake.

The lolly jar is over 4.5m tall and has been hand-filled with lollies. How many exactly? That’s for Kiwis to guess. The jar will be moved around 11 cities in New Zealand from October 1 to 20, giving Kiwis the chance to guess and win a share of one million Airpoints Dollars.

Those unable to see the jar in person are also invited to check out the jar and guess using a virtual augmented-reality version.

At the location, participants must scan a QR code available on-site and log into their Airpoints account to enter a guess, while online participants can guess at airnzsweetstake.co.nz between 7am and 11pm.

Only New Zealand-based Airpoints members can enter the competition, which runs from October 1 to 20, but can submit one new guess every day to increase their chance of winning.

What can Kiwis win?

Each location the jar visits will have a 10,000 Airpoints Dollars prize and hundreds of 500 Airpoints Dollars spot prizes.

The grand prize is 50,000 Airpoints Dollars and daily prizes of 10,000 Airpoints Dollars will be up for grabs online. If more than one person guesses the exact number, the grand prize will be split among them.

Airpoints Dollars can be used for a variety of purposes, according to Air New Zealand general manager domestic, Scott Carr.

“You can spend them on domestic flights around New Zealand or a dream holiday overseas, buy a Koru membership, book a rental car, or treat yourself or your whānau with something from the Airpoints store,” he said.

The Air New Zealand lolly

Scott Carr says Air New Zealand lollies are an iconic part of Air New Zealand’s culture and have sparked many debates over time including the best flavour and how many are acceptable to take.

The sweet comes in five flavours, strawberry, peppermint, lime, lemon, and orange and aside from being a nice treat at the end of a flight, can help relieve the pressure in your ears at high altitudes.

Air New Zealand has been serving these iconic hard-boiled sweets for over half a century and dish out 19 million of them a year.

Air New Zealand Sweetstake Schedule

Tuesday, October 1 — Pūtahi Park, Whangārei, 7am – 2pm

Thursday, October 3 — Queen St, Auckland, 7am – 5.30pm

Friday, October 4 — Garden Place, Hamilton, 7am – 2pm

Sunday, October 6 — Marine Parade, opposite 21 Maunganui Rd, Mount Maunganui, 7am – 2pm

Tuesday, October 8 — Millennial Arch Sculpture, Napier 7am – 2pm

Sunday, October 13 — Corner Trafalgar St and Selwyn Place, Nelson, 7am – 2pm

Tuesday, October 15 — 100 Cathedral Square, Christchurch, 7am – 2pm

Friday, October 18 — Feldwick Gates, Queens Park, Invercargill, 7am – 2pm

Sunday, 20 October 20 — The Octagon, Dunedin, 7am – 2pm