'Don't put all your eggs in one basket': Investment expert on what to do if you win Lotto

If you won Lotto's mammoth Powerball jackpot of $32 million, an investment expert would warn against putting all your eggs in one basket.

If claimed tomorrow by a single player, it would be the third-largest in Lotto history.

The first set of advice Matt Henry, head of wealth management research at Forsyth Barr, would give a Lotto winner was simply to get advice.

"It's pretty cliche that people who come into money end up broke, so getting advice from qualified people is the first step," he told the Herald.

"You can get some ideas thrown at you that sound pretty exciting and promising but often those sort of get rich type schemes come with elevated risks.

"What you're looking for is a prudent, sensible, diversified portfolio that's going to stand you in good stead over a long period of time."

If won by a single player, tomorrow's prize would be the third-largest in Lotto history. Photo / Supplied

About 1 million tickets were sold for Wednesday's draw but Lotto expects about 1.5 million to be sold ahead of Saturday's Powerball jackpot.

A $1m Strike Must Be Won draw would also be running tomorrow night.

Currently sitting at $32m, the jackpot could extend to as much as $50m - and be on offer around the same time as the Rugby World Cup final.

All Powerball winners were invited to visit Lotto NZ's Auckland office to claim their prize, spokeswoman Kristen Robinson said.

There, winners were given tips, tricks and advice from Lotto NZ about adjusting to life as a Powerball winner.

They would also receive a copy of Lotto NZ's winner's book, filled with things to think about over the coming days, weeks and months.

When it came to investing money, putting it in the bank was a safe option but did not offer much of a return nowadays, Henry said.

Seeking advice from an investment expert would be a great way to ensure winners were getting the best financial help possible.

"It pays to look around, talk to a number of people but the easiest thing you can do is go for the strong, leading presence in the New Zealand market," he said.

"There's no one size fits all solution - when we sit down with any client the first discussion is understanding what their goals and objectives are.

"And whilst $32m sounds like a lot of money, which it is, you can run through it if you don't appropriately manage what your goals and objectives are."

This year, 31 Kiwis became overnight millionaires after winning with Lotto's games, including 12 who have won big with Powerball.

Meanwhile, in order of frequency, the luckiest number Lotto numbers had been 1, 7, 19, 22, 18 and 13.

Key pieces of advice from Lotto NZ:

• Take your time deciding what to do next – don't make any big decisions like leaving your job or making expensive purchases until you've had a chance to work out what you really want to do with your winnings

• Think carefully about who you tell about your big win – once you tell them, you can't un-tell them!

• Get professional financial advice from a registered financial adviser. Financial advisers are experts in helping people manage their money and have lots of advice to help winners manage their unexpected windfall

• Have fun! Winning Powerball is an incredible time in a winner's life, so remember to take time to enjoy the experience.