Kaitaia gets own triple dip with three big gambling wins

Photo / APN

If good luck comes in threes, then Kaitaia has exhausted its Lotto fortunes for a while.

Three major prizes worth a combined $654,456 were won in the Far North town in the past week.

A Lotto Strike first division ticket sold at Kaitaia Pak'nSave won a local man $529,456 in last Saturday's draw, and on Wednesday, the supermarket sold a $100,000 Instant Kiwi ticket to another local.

That night, a ticket sold at Kaitaia's Paper Plus won the holder $25,000 in the Big Wednesday draw, but that prize has yet to be claimed.

The $529,456 Lotto Strike prize was claimed by a local who had made a last-minute addition to his grocery shopping.

Buying a Triple Dip was a spur-of-the-moment decision. He checked his tickets online after the January 1 draw and thought it was "pretty cool" that he had three of the right numbers.

"I then checked again and realised that I had all four of the right Strike numbers, and thought, 'Oh no, that's me'," said the man, who did not want to be named.

"I'm planning a party to celebrate. I also plan some sensible investments with the money to make it last."

Kaitaia Pak'nSave owner Maurice Te Brake was delighted that his store had helped put some much-needed money into the local economy.

"That's just awesome. They [the two big winners] are local shoppers and it's absolutely fantastic to know we've helped put over $600,000 into the town," Mr Te Brake said.

"I'm sure some of the money will get circulated locally."

- APN