Record number of tickets expected to be sold for $44 million Lotto prize

More than two million Lotto tickets are expected to sell for tonight's record $44 million must-be-won Powerball draw.

And judging by some of the queues seen around New Zealand today, that could well be right.

Matilda Patia, who works at one of New Zealand's top selling Lotto shops, Pak n' Save Manukau, said at the biggest jackpot in July, the line stretched out into the car park - and she was expecting something similar this time around.

At Rotorua's Lucky Lottery Shop, the lunchtime line went out the door, and in Tauranga's Bayfair Lotto store, people had queued since 8.50am.

Lotto NZ's spokesperson, Kirsten Robinson said the expected ticket sales for the country's biggest Powerball draw ever are three times more than those for a lower jackpot level.

If there are no first division winners, the jackpot will roll down to the next division where there are winners.

If there is more than one winner in that division the total will be shared evenly.

Earlier today, at Pak n' Save Manukau, Lotto presenter Sonia Gray manned the tills, saying selling tickets was harder than her day job.

Punter Jessica North said if she won tonight she'd keep $5m for herself and disperse the rest between charities.

Sonia with punters Nicolai Pere and Frida Potae.

Ahead of last Saturday's $38 million Powerball draw, 1.85 million Lotto tickets were bought by hopeful punters.

And July's $40 million Powerball Must Be Won draw attracted record sales, with more than 2.7m tickets entered into the draw.

But despite a nail-biting United States Election today, Lotto is still trending on social media though some users remain cynical.

Crying/buying a lotto ticket

— Eli Matthewson (@EliMatthewson) November 9, 2016

only thing that will top this is john key winning lotto 2nite

— manny styles (@manuelbundy) November 9, 2016

Tickets are on sale until 7.30pm.

Top five lottery prizes won in New Zealand

1. $36.8 million, June 2009, Kuripuni Lotto and Post Shop Masterton, Big Wednesday
2. $33 million, September 2013, One Step Ahead, Ponsonby, Auckland, Powerball
3. $28.7 million, October 2010, Mobil Papakura, Auckland, Powerball
4. $27 million, October 2010, AJ's Lotto, Tauranga, Big Wednesday
5. $26.5 million, March 2012, Te Kauwhata Four Square, Powerball