Lotto's big $16m draw, Lotto NZ expects high demand

Saturday night's draw will be computer-generated. Photo / Michael Bradley

More than a million tickets are expected to be in tonight's Powerball draw as punters hold their breath for the whopping $16 million prize.

Lotto New Zealand says the Powerball jackpot has been on a roll since it was last struck on August 21.

That win saw a young woman from Auckland become an overnight millionaire with $11.5 million just as the city entered alert level 4 lockdown.

The woman told the Herald she didn't realise she had won even after seeing an email from Lotto the morning after the draw, and initially thought her prize was just $11,500.

The truth sank in after she checked a few more times and called Lotto to confirm the win.

"It was unbelievable. My sister and I just sat in the car screaming – it was such a cool moment," said the woman who did not wish to be named.

"Being in lockdown means there isn't a lot we can do to celebrate, but I went straight into the supermarket and grabbed a few treats. We actually celebrated with ice creams in the car," she said.

Her win was the 15th Powerball strike this year, coming just weeks after a MyLotto player from South Canterbury won $5.3m with Powerball First Division.

A Christchurch family with a baby on the way was another lockdown millionaire, winning $1 million on the August 29 Lotto First Division draw.

Earlier this month a Wellington couple took home $400,000 from the Strike Four prize.

They were similarly mistaken by the number of zeros on the prize and thought they had won $400 at first.

"I buy a Triple Dip most weeks so had no idea if I'd won something with Lotto, Powerball or Strike – a big win never even crossed my mind to be honest," he said.

Strike Four will once again have $400,000 up for grabs after rolling over on Wednesday's draw.

Some stores are closed due to Covid-19 restrictions and Lotto NZ is expecting high demand on the MyLotto website before sales close on Saturday at 7.30pm.

Tonight's draw will be computer-generated under Audit New Zealand scrutiny.

Live Lotto draws cannot take place while Auckland is in alert level 3 as they do not meet the Health Ministry's Covid-19 safety guidelines.

Powerball wins in 2021

• January 2: $2.8 million - The Market Store, Twizel
• January 2: $2.8 million - Fresh Choice, Te Anau
• January 6: $4.5 million - Te Aroha Supermarket, Te Aroha
• January 20: $8.5 million - Western Heights Foodmarket, Rotorua
• February 27: $22.5 million - MyLotto, Christchurch
• March 13: $8.25 million - Paper Plus, Matamata
• March 20: $5.2 million - Hornby Mall Lotto, Christchurch
• March 24: $4.25 million - MyLotto, Northland
• April 17: $14.25 million - MyLotto, Auckland
• May 8: $12.3 million - Hylite Dairy, Auckland
• June 5: $16.5 million - MyLotto , Hamilton
• June 26: $13 million - New World Merrilands, New Plymouth
• July 24: $17.16 million - West City Lotto, Auckland
• July 31: $5.3 million - MyLotto, Ashburton
• August 21: $11.5 million - MyLotto, Auckland