Lotto ticket sales increased 30 per cent in the Bay last week as punters tried their luck at becoming a millionaire.
Powerball has jackpotted to $27 million and Big Wednesday has hit $20 million, making this the largest combined prize pool across the week since Lotto started, according to New Zealand Lotteries.
Ohauiti man Harry Taylor was lining up at Paper Plus Mount Maunganui yesterday - his lucky shop where he met his wife almost 50 years ago.
Mr Taylor said he bought Lotto tickets most weeks, but it was more tempting when the prize money was so high.
"At golf we have a weekly thing where the losers have to pay for a ticket. The golf group has never won anything and it's been going back 12 years, but hopefully I'll be more lucky. You've got to be in to win."