The man and his partner claimed the prize today. The two winning tickets each won $11,853,233 from Powerball and $200,000 from their share of Lotto First Division.
The couple stayed in Wellington last night and celebrated their win with a steak dinner at the Hotel Bristol in Cuba Street.
Murupara, with a population of around 2000, had been buzzing with news of the win, he said.
"It's been huge news in the town since the Lotto results came out on Saturday night. Everyone has been talking about it, and hoping it has been won by a local - which it has!"
The couple planned to take their time to decide how to spend the $12 million win and were going to seek professional advice, the man said.
"We will get some really good financial advice, as we want this money to last for us."
The couple rent a house but planned to buy their own home outright and travel after they collected the prize.
The man said he would like to buy a boat as well as it had been a long-time dream.
"I love fishing and diving, so buying a new boat would be a dream come true."
The man bought the winning ticket from Murupara Four Square. Store owner Graeme Kirk said he found out about the win when a worker text messaged him at 11 o'clock on Saturday night.
He said the store had sold five other first division winning Lotto tickets, but this was the largest amount won yet. The news was spreading about the store's luck with Lotto, he said
"A guy from Taupo has just come through. He said he'd heard it was a lucky store and stopped to buy his ticket here."
The whole town was buzzing with excitement but had no plans to hold a special celebration for the couple, he said.
The second ticket winning $12 million was claimed in Auckland yesterday NZ Lotteries spokeswoman Karen Jones said.
The Auckland ticket was sold at Hari Superette in Papatoetoe.
- APNZ
