The Powerball jackpot has reached a whopping $33 million tonight, the same amount won by a couple from Christchurch nearly a year ago in June 2023. The couple took over a week to claim their prize, needing time to grasp the enormity of their win. They kept their winning ticket safe in a sock drawer while they waited.
The woman recalled the night of the draw, saying she saw the numbers ‘dancing on the paper’ as she read the final line. “I couldn’t breathe at first – I was almost hyperventilating,” she said.
Since their win, the Powerball has been won 14 more times, making new multi-millionaires across the country. Lucy Fullarton, Lotto NZ’s Head of Corporate Communications, often gets asked about the ‘luckiest’ place to buy a ticket.
She explains that while people may have favorite stores or special numbers, the odds of winning are the same no matter where or how you buy your ticket. It could be online or in-store, and you could use regular numbers or buy a dip ticket. She emphasizes that the lottery is about fun and excitement, and encourages customers to only spend what they can afford.
Lucy says that Lotto NZ provides support and advice to all big winners as soon as they claim their prize. Usually, the first thing winners think about is how they can help their loved ones. “We know winning has a huge ripple effect and most, if not all, our big winners tell us they plan to share their winnings with family, friends, people in their local community and charities close to their hearts.”
If tonight’s Powerball jackpot and the $1 million Lotto first division prize are won by a single ticket, it will be the fifth largest prize ever won in Lotto NZ history. Lucy advises anyone wanting to participate in tonight’s draw to get their ticket early to avoid busy times in-store and online.
“As the jackpot climbs, there is more demand for our games. We know stores will be busy from around 5pm today, and lots of people will also be jumping online to grab their ticket in the hour before sales close at 7.30pm. Our advice is to get in early and avoid the rush.”
Lotto NZ gives all its profits back to Kiwi communities through lottery grants programs, run by Te Puna Tahua NZ Lottery Grants Board.
