Winning Lotto and becoming an instant multi-millionaire is not always easy - but it ain't half bad either.
Video / Mike Scott
Two of the seven lucky punters who struck it big in last night’s must-be-won $50 million Powerball draw have claimed their prizes this afternoon.
The prize was won by seven tickets as no single ticket had the correct Powerball and First Division Lotto numbers needed to win outright.
Lotto told the Herald this afternoon two of the big prizes of more than $7.1m had now been claimed.
“We don’t yet have any further details to share around the winners, but will share more in the next few days.”
Lotto earlier revealed the winning tickets were bought at Pak’nSave Wairau Rd in Auckland, Woolworths Metro in Auckland, Royal Oak Mall Lotto in Auckland, Shop Rite Dairy in Hamilton and New World Hastings.
Each of the seven biggest winners will bank $7,180,041 after the prize rolled down to Division two.
The seven lucky ticket-holders had five correct Lotto numbers and a bonus ball along with the Powerball.
The numbers are 22, 35, 10, 30, 21, 37 and bonus ball 5.
The Powerball is 2.
The 14 players who won a $71,429 share of the spoils were spread out across the country.
Three players from Auckland brought their tickets on My Lotto, as did a player each from Wellington, Hamilton and Gisborne.
Other tickets were bought at Rockys Superette in Auckland, Paper Plus in Mount Maunganui, New World Westend in Rotorua, Woolworths Hastings, New World Rangiora, New World Three Parks in Wānaka, Lumsden Four Square and Fresh Choice Green Island in Dunedin.
“It’s amazing that Powerball rolled down to Second Division and was shared between seven players – it’s fantastic to see more of our lucky players get to experience what it’s like to win,” said Lotto NZ chief executive Jason Delamore.
“This is going to be life-changing, and not only for the lucky winner themselves, as we know winning big has a huge ripple effect.”
High demand
Yesterday, Lotto punters were urged to take a screenshot of digital tickets ahead of the anticipated scramble to check results after the must-win $50m draw.
Queues spilled onto the streets and stretched inside malls at Lotto stores around the country as an unprecedented two million tickets were expected to be bought by Kiwis hoping to win the biggest jackpot of the year.
Last night, the MyLotto site was closed due to the high demand to check the results.
Must be won
In a must-be-won draw, if no one wins Powerball First Division (that means getting all seven numbers correct), the entire jackpot rolls down to the next Powerball division where there are winners.
If there is more than one winner in a Powerball prize division, the prize is split equally between them.
