Changes coming for Lotto will make it less likely people will win the big prize — but more likely they will collect a small one.
In what it calls its first "matrix change" in 19 years, Lotto will increase the number of Powerballs in its draw machine from 10 to 14.
This reduces the chances of winning Powerball from about one in 38.4 million to about one in 53.7 million for every line on a ticket.
Lotto will also add a "division 8" prize, raise the starting Powerball jackpot from $4 million to $5m and increase the maximum jackpot from $50m to $60m.
Lotto chief executive Jason Delamore said the jackpot would be more likely to roll over to the next draw, which would deliver larger prizes when people won, while prizes in all other divisions would also be increased as part of the changes.
"The new Powerball division 8 is a game-changer. We expect its introduction will lift the total number of weekly Powerball winners by 30%, from about 47,000 winners to 62,000 winners on average."
The changes to Powerball take effect in the second half of this year.
Mr Delamore said lotteries around the world regularly refreshed their games in response to changes in population, customer expectations, inflation and other factors.
"Powerball had just eight balls when we launched in 2001. The jackpot started at $1m and topped out at $15m.
"We’ve made tweaks to the game in 2007, 2010, 2015 and 2017, so the current gap since the last update has been longer than usual."
Massey University marketing expert Bodo Lang said he did not think the move would hurt ticket sales.
"Why do people play Lotto? The superficial surface answer is because they want to win money and maybe stop working. But what you’re selling when you’re selling a Lotto ticket is you’re selling hope.
"And if that hope is sustained by the new scheme I think it could totally work."
Mr Delamore said evolving Powerball was a key part of the organisation’s future strategy as it approached its 40th anniversary next year.
"Lotto NZ is owned by all New Zealanders and all of our profits — totalling more than $6.7 billion since 1987 — go to the Lottery Grants Board for distribution to the community.
"This change to Powerball will help support consistent and predictable returns back to a wide range of causes, including grassroots sports, cultural groups and health organisations." — RNZ
