The winner, who has been playing Lotto since "day one", said he had won smaller prizes before, but the latest prize was the biggest he had ever claimed.
Surprisingly, the winner said he felt "pretty laid back" upon discovering how much he had won and wasn't yet sure what they would spend the money on.
"It's still early days. But we are going on a trip later this year, so might treat ourselves to a fancier hotel now!"
The second prize was claimed at New World Onekawa by a Napier woman who said she was completely blown away upon finding out she was a winner.
"My husband and I had no idea we had the winning ticket – we hadn't even heard a prize had been won in the area, let alone three. We normally go and check our ticket on a Sunday morning and when I handed it over to the Lotto lady and she told me we had won First Division — my mind was completely blown!
"My husband and I started celebrating right then and there, crying and hugging at the shop — it was such a surreal moment. Later that evening, we all went out for a nice dinner to celebrate."
The woman said she had been playing Lotto since she was 18 and had also won a few small prizes throughout the years, but nothing as much as $333,000.
"We've got a baby on the way so we're planning on the using the winnings to help our family get into our first home — it's all very exciting," she said.
The third winning prize, won at Ahuriri Four Square, is still to be claimed.
Anyone who purchased their Lotto ticket for the Saturday, January 5, draw at the store should write their name on the back of the ticket and check it immediately in store at any Lotto retailer, online at MyLotto.co.nz or through the Lotto NZ App.
