Lotto: Rotorua couple win $500,000 in First Division

A Rotorua couple has been left in disbelief after a last-minute decision Lotto purchase resulted in them winning a “life-changing” $500,000.

In a statement via Lotto NZ, the First Division winners, who wish to remain anonymous, said they were occasional players who lucked out on a Triple Dip - but it almost didn’t happen.

“I wasn’t going to buy a ticket, but my partner reminded me to get one that day,” the woman said.

“So, I ended up getting one a couple of hours before the draw.”

The couple forgot about the draw and did not check their ticket until later that night once their children were in bed.

“We were lying in bed about to go to sleep when my partner checked the ticket online around 11.

“He got up suddenly, and I thought something was wrong because he was bent over. I asked him if everything was okay and he replied, ‘We just won’.

“I didn’t believe him. I said, ‘Whatever!’ but then he showed me his screen, and there it was – ‘Major Prize Winner.’

“I was shocked,” she said.

“There were so many emotions going through my head.”

The couple struggled to sleep that night but “celebrated quietly with the kids at home” the next day.

“We’re still taking it in,” she said.

“It’s come at a great time for us. It’s important for us to take our time to think about our options – but our ultimate goal is to set up our kids for the future.”

In the meantime, the couple was keen to “live life as normal”.

“We’re still going to work and everything.”

The winning Lotto First Division ticket was sold on MyLotto for the draw on July 19 and was not immediately claimed.

A winning $500,000 Lotto First Division ticket was also sold on MyLotto to a player from Auckland for the same draw.

This is the second time in less than four months that a Rotorua Lotto player has won $500,000.

On April 2, two people from Rotorua and Hastings each won $500,000 with Strike Four Must Be Won tickets.

Top five luckiest Bay of Plenty Lotto stores

Based on total prize of First Division won between June 2022 and June 2023

Halfway Store, Whakatāne

Total number of wins: 1

Total win value: $12,250,000

Largest prize won: $12,000,000

Paper Plus Rotorua Central

Total number of wins: 2

Total win value: $1,400,000

Largest prize won: $1,000,000

Bayfair Lotto, Mount Maunganui

Total number of wins: 2

Total win value: $550,000

Largest prize won: $350,000

Western Heights Foodmarket, Rotorua

Total number of wins: 1

Total win value: $500,000

Largest prize won: $500,000

Ngongotaha Books Lotto and Postshop, Rotorua

Total number of wins: 1

Total win value: $10,000

Largest prize won: $10,000

Pak’nSave Cameron Rd, Tauranga

Total number of wins: 1

Total win value: $10,000

Largest prize won: $10,000

Source: Lotto NZ