With 49 first division winners, Unichem Stortford Lodge Pharmacy in Hastings is Billed as 'The luckiest Lotto shop in the land'. Video / Warren Buckland
A Hawke's Bay mum who claimed a $25.1 million Lotto win earlier this year has kept her spending to a minimum, purchasing a new house and helping her friends and family.
The woman, who wants to remain anonymous, split a record-breaking $50m Powerball First Division winnings in late February -Lotto NZ's largest ever jackpot at the time, and still the equal largest.
While some splash their cash on dream cars and glamorous holidays, the Hawke's Bay winner said she'd taken a family-first approach.
A Hawke's Bay mother who won $25.1m earlier this year has bought a new house and is helping her friends and family with her winnings. Photo / File
"I know it sounds cliché, but it has been absolutely life-changing for us," she said.
"I've bought a new house that we moved into recently and I've helped out family and friends."
The winner, who bought her lucky Triple Dip at Countdown Manukau City Mall while visiting Auckland, added: "I can do everything I had envisioned doing in my life now and it helps me to build a better future for my kids and family."
The winner previously said she had a number of sleepless nights after Lotto confirmed the ticket was bought at the store.
"I'd been keeping my ticket in my phone case and under my pillow at night – not that much sleeping has been happening."
This year has been the biggest one yet for Lotto Powerball winners, with 62 Kiwis becoming overnight millionaires in 2020 and a total of $617m given away.
Lotto head of communications and corporate social responsibility Marie Winfield said 2020 had been a challenging year for all.
"It's awesome that a record number of Kiwis' lives changed overnight with Powerball during the year," she said.
Winfield said 16 Powerball winners won big in 2019, with that number up to 28 this year.
After paying off their mortgage and helping their immediate family, the other winner of the $50m Must Be Won draw purchased a holiday bach.
The Auckland-based winner said they were excited to make memories with their children at their new property.
