Kiwi punters have jumped ship and are backing Oracle to win the America's Cup.

Lotto players are spending thousands in the hope of hitting a jackpot that could give them enough money to buy 150 new Lamborghini sports cars.

A Lotto-winning couple who struck it big with a $15.7 million jackpot earlier this year have some simple advice for anyone who wins tonight's enormous Powerball prize - get good financial advice and keep the win quiet.

Lotto Powerball has jackpotted again, meaning this week's draw will match the $27million mark struck by supermarket worker Trevor Cooper in April last year.

More Asian people will lose their jobs and businesses if the SkyCity convention centre deal goes ahead, MPs have been told.

The Government's convention centre deal with SkyCity could see the taxpayer saddled with millions in cost overruns before building even begins, claims Labour.

A former international sportsman who won multiple world championships for NZ, David stole nearly half a million dollars from his employer to fund his gambling addiction.

A combination of tighter regulation and a growing public unease about the negative social impact of gaming machines has sent the industry into a steady decline.

"Since I've stopped I've never had so much money in my pocket. The freezer is full. The pantry is full of food. I bake and I give it away. Things do come right."

"It's heaven. It's better than sex. Then you lose, and lose big. And it's 'oh my God, what have I done'?" John tells his story about gambling addiction.

In a little over nine months Xiao Lu and her former boyfriend Zhou Zhao defrauded Hamilton's SkyCity casino of more than $50,000 .

A Chinese woman involved in a gambling scam with her ex-boyfriend and a casino worker that stole more than $50,000 has avoided a jail sentence but will be deported.

Once a blip on the national sports scene, baseball has grown its player base to about 6000. And its emergence has been funded entirely with gambling money.

Alicia sobs as she recalls the moment she realised her life had to change. She was spending up to 20 hours a week at the pokies, losing between $300 and $400.

The Mt Wellington Warriors league club made a stand against pokie money. But when it couldn't raise revenue, it faced a stark reality - take the trust money or go bust.

"If Basketball NZ didn't receive TAB income I shudder to think." Basketball has become the country's betting sport of choice, with $46.8m wagered last year.

Sport in NZ is propped up by around $180 million in gambling revenue, creating a cycle of dependency health experts have likened to big tobacco sponsorship.

The All Blacks head to Australia tomorrow as heavy favourites with the TAB for a weekend win over the Wallabies despite losing star playmaker Dan Carter.

First, it was stud poker. Like Texas Hold 'em but with nine cards, more face-down, fewer face-up, so the chance of killer hands was pretty high.

Pokie numbers in pubs and clubs across Auckland will drop under a new unified Super City policy.

What do racing and retail sales have in common? Both industries are suffering unfair competition from offshore websites.

The gambling mecca of Macau now handles more wagers than all US-based commercial casinos put together.

SkyCity says it has been "victimised" in the debate over the Convention Centre deal, but a law change to allow increased gambling has the potential to go ahead.

Editorial: The SkyCity convention centre project is a gamble for all involved. But the die is cast, so let's back the country to get it right.

Maori Party MP Te Ururoa Flavell defended his Gambling Harm Reduction Bill in Parliament tonight.

The Government and SkyCity have signed off on their controversial deal under which the casino company will build a $402 million international convention centre.