Hawke's Bay's other luckiest Lotto winning stores have been revealed. Photo / File
Hawke's Bay's other luckiest Lotto winning stores have been revealed. Photo / File
If you can't make it to New Zealand's luckiest Lotto store ahead of Wednesday's $42m Powerball jackpot draw, don't fear as the next best in the Bay have been revealed.
While Unichem Stortford Lodge Pharmacy store, Hastings, has been crowned the luckiest after producing 49 First Division winning tickets, twoother Hawke's Bay stores aren't far behind.
Countdown Napier has produced 17 First Division winners, while Andrew Spence Pharmacy, Onekawa, has had 15 of their own.
Perhaps a trip to the South Island may be in order ahead of Wednesday's $42m Powerball jackpot draw, with three of the remaining four top five luckiest stores in the country based in the south.
National runner up Richmond Night N Day, in Nelson, sold 35 First Division ticket winners, while Pak N Save Riccarton, in Christchurch, which sold 33.
Coastlands Lotto in Paraparaumu (32) and Hornby Mall Lotto in Christchurch (31) made up the top five.
Lotto NZ Head of communications and corporate social responsibility Marie Winfield said Lotto players across New Zealand often go in search of lucky stores.
"Lotto stores up and down the country are flat out as they get ready for the $42 million Powerball draw," he said.
"We know that many Lotto players love to buy their tickets at lucky stores in their region and some even drive considerable distances to make sure they buy from a lucky store. I am sure that will be the case ahead of tomorrow night.
"There will be queues, so we are encouraging all players to get in early to make sure they're in to win. It only takes one ticket to change someone's life forever."
Unichem Stortford Lodge Pharmacy General Manager Carol Ormerod said she puts the stores success rate down to "luck". Photo / Paul Taylor
With Unichem Stortford Lodge Pharmacy, on Heretaunga St West, having sold tickets with over $39m worth of winnings since 2001, general manager Carol Ormerod said she puts the store's success rate down to "luck."
"We are really happy to be the number on luckiest Lotto shop in New Zealand," she said. "I guess it is just luck.
"It has given us a lot of exposure. People from out of town often come in and tell us they had to come here because they were in Hawke's Bay and had heard about us."
Peter Dunkerley, who previously owned the pharmacy site, said after a customer won $272,600 in 1987, customers would reach across the counter and touch him for good luck.
According to Ormerod, the store's success in Second Division ticket winners also brings in additional customers.
"We've sold a lot of Second Division tickets over the last few months too," she said. "They get a lot of people in, as not everybody wants the millions.
"But Wednesday will be super busy. Customers end up snaking around the shop and out the door, depending on the weather."
A total of 16 multi-millionaires were made with Powerball in 2019, with an average winning amount of $12.8m, while Powerball First Division has been won a total of 184 times in the history of the game.
The largest ever Powerball win came in November 2016, as a Hibiscus Coast couple won $44m after purchasing their ticket from Dairy Flat Food Mart and Liquor.
With Wednesday night's Powerball jackpot sitting at $42m – the second highest jackpot of all time - might it be worth a trip to one of New Zealand's luckiest Lotto stores?
