If you're called John, then you're in to win

Francie and John Churton. Photo / Supplied

It's the Dear John any Kiwi would love to hear - John is the most common name of big Lotto prize winners.

NZ Lotteries has gone through all prizes worth more than $100,000 since 2006 to find out what names have won the most. John is the clear winner, with 21 Johns taking a total of close to $10.5 million.

won $150,000 on Lotto's Winning Wheel last year.

The 80-year-old had never won anything in his life, and ended up giving most of the money to family and friends.

"I don't think it's got anything to do with our name. It was just a lot of luck. Most of the money has gone to helping other people. They needed it more than we did," said Churton.

He has no problems with the name, though. "It's suited me for 80 years so I can't growl at it."

Churton said he knew of another Wanganui resident called John who won $1 million in Lotto a couple of years ago.

Other popular names also feature high up the list. David came in second with 14, and Paul third with 10.

NZ Lotteries' chief executive Todd McLeay was not surprised that most of the common names were high up the list. "These names really reflect the popularity of names, particularly of people over 30."

NZ Lotteries spokeswoman Karen Jones said with names like Ethel on the list, it showed the mature age of players.

She said when people had a mortgage, they were more likely to buy Lotto tickets.

Current naming trends were not reflected in the results as last year's most popular babies' names, Jack and Sophie, were nowhere near the top five Lotto winners.

"Maybe when Jack and Sophie have grown up and got a mortgage, then they might think a Lotto ticket would be a nice way to pay off their mortgage," said Jones.