Dargaville Countdown Junior manager Sharni Fredrickson celebrates after a $1 million Lotto First Division winning ticket was sold at he store for Wednesday's draw. Photo / John Stone
Dargaville Countdown Junior manager Sharni Fredrickson celebrates after a $1 million Lotto First Division winning ticket was sold at he store for Wednesday's draw. Photo / John Stone
A Northland supermarket has sold another $1 million Lotto Division One ticket but chances are the lucky punter may be an out-of-towner spending the festive season in this region.
It is the second time this year Countdown Dargaville has sold a winning $1m Division One ticket, the latest drawn live on Wednesday evening. It's the 18th First Division winner in Northland this year.
Otaika Lotto & Post in Whangārei sold a winning $1m ticket in August following a similar win at Countdown Dargaville in February.
Lotto New Zealand could not confirm if both winners, as well as this week's winner, were Northlanders.
So far this year, 18 players have taken home First Division Powerball, Lotto or Strike winners prizes in Northland worth more than $15m — including four players who have become overnight millionaires with an $8.3 million Powerball win on April 4 being the largest.
Two weeks ago, a ticket sold at Kerikeri New World won its owner $500,000 — the third in the last six weeks.
Kaipara mayor Jason Smith said given the festive season when there was an influx of visitors to his district, this week's Lotto winner could be a tourist.
The winning Lotto Division One numbers sold at Countdown Dargaville being drawn live by Lotto New Zealand.
Photo/Lotto NZ
"Communities such as Pouto swell significantly, probably double at this time of the year, with people in tents, lawns so the winner could be anyone but I hope whoever won would share the benefits."
If the winner is from Dargaville or surrounding areas, Smith hopes he or she will spend much-needed dollars in local businesses.
Dargaville Business Forum chairwoman Jean Johnson said the win was great news for Dargaville.
"We get a lot of little wins but it's not often a big prize comes to Dargaville so that's wonderful news. It would be nice if it's a local."
Johnson said Dargaville's name has been put on the map again.
A Lotto New Zealand spokeswoman said 34 Northland Lotto players have won Second Division prizes this year, taking home a share of more than $720,000.
All Powerball, Lotto and Strike prizes this year have been claimed, except Wednesday night's $1m.
Last month, two Lotto players from Whangārei and Kerikeri scooped $200,000 each with Lotto First Division, following on from October when a Whangārei man took home a $250,000 Lotto First Division prize.
The lucky Northland trio included a Whangārei woman who won her prize on her lucky dip ticket bought at Onerahi Bookshop & Lotto.
She usually plays her own numbers, but when she realised she has left her Lotto wallet with her lucky numbers at home she decided to try her luck with a dip instead.
The Whangārei man who won $200,000 unwittingly carried the lucky yellow ticket from Countdown Kerikeri around in his pocket all day before checking his ticket while stopping at the supermarket to pick up dinner.
