Rotorua Lotto outlet been there since day dot

Owner of Te Ngae Hardware and Lotto, Carl Mandeno, one of only 12 Lotto retailers throughout New Zealand who has been with Lotto from day one. Photo/Stephen Parker

Carl Mandeno reckons selling Lotto tickets is a good business to be in.

And he should know. As owner of Te Ngae Hardware and Lotto in Rotorua, Mr Mandeno is one of only 12 Lotto retailers throughout New Zealand who has been with Lotto from day one.

This weekend Lotto celebrates its 30th birthday.

The first draw, held on August 1, 1987, offered a first division prize of $359,808. Since then $10 billion has been given away in prizes and $4.3b has been distributed to Kiwi communities.

"It's a good business because we have a lot of happy customers," Mr Mandeno said.

"We've had a few big wins. It's always nice to see it go to a normal Joe Bloggs and then see what an improvement it [the money] can make in their lives.

"And I can say for sure, it has helped. Our winners haven't gone stupid with the money but I have been able to see the difference it has made."

He said following a substantial win at his store, questions flowed in thick and fast.

"Winners always want to remain anonymous and I'm happy to play my part. I get lots of people asking me if I know who the winner was and what they're planning to spend the money on. Even if I know the answers I don't say much."

Owner of Te Ngae Hardware and Lotto, Carl Mandeno, one of only 12 Lotto retailers throughout New Zealand who has been with Lotto from day one. Photo/Stephen Parker

Mr Mandeno said three decades of Lotto had earned Te Ngae Hardware and Lotto many loyal customers.

"People come and go, some change stores a lot, but I do have dedicated punters who come in like clockwork. They're all looking forward to winning big - just like I am," he laughed.

"Not only have I been selling tickets for 30 years, I've also been buying them, but I haven't had much luck.

"Week to week sales are similar although when the prizes get big, people do tend to buy an extra ticket or add Powerball.

"Thirty years on and I still get a thrill selling Lotto tickets."

Heather from Paper Plus Central said the store had sold 13 First Division tickets and would like to see the 14th this weekend.

"Selling Lotto tickets is a great job," Heather said. "We get loads of chocolate brought in as gifts by people who have won a Lotto prize or money on scratchies."

In 2015 Springfield Superette owner Raj Kumar sold a local man a First Division ticket worth $24.3 million. He said the winner remained a regular buyer of Lotto tickets.

"He still comes in every week to buy his ticket," Mr Kumar said.

"It doesn't seem to have changed him much. He's still a humble, polite person."

Lotto in Rotorua during the past 30 years:
- The luckiest stores in the regions are Paper Plus Central and The Lucky Lottery Shop who have both sold 13 First Division Winning tickets each, and have given away over $10.8 million in prizes.
- Rotorua is home to 111 First Division winners, winning over $85.5 million worth of prizes.
- In 2015 Springfield Superette and Lotto was home to News Zealand's 9th largest Lotto win of over $24.3 million.
- Te Ngae Hardware and Lotto is one of only 12 retailers to have been with Lotto since day one.