Wednesday’s draw could be a mega win not witnessed since 2021 after Saturday night’s jackpot went unstruck. Lotto described the prize as “life-changing” money.
Lotto head of communications Lucy Fullarton told The New Zealand Herald that the organisation would meet any potential winner “as soon as possible” to provide comprehensive guidance and support for the win.
They would also refer them to the right expertise to set them up “for a great future”.
Fullarton said Lotto would often see ripple effects from the big wins.
“Winners [share] them with family and often use the money to benefit the wider community,” she said.
The last time somebody walked away with a $33m prize pot was back in 2013 when the winning ticket was sold in a shoe repair shop in Ponsonby, Auckland.
“Holy cow!” its owner reacted when he learned of the mega prize win.
Back in 2021, the second-largest Lotto victory was achieved in the small Waikato town of Pokeno when a ticket’s worth became $42.2m.
This feat was beaten by the biggest win in New Zealand’s Lotto history, back in 2016 when an Auckland resident claimed a prize worth $44m.
While nobody last Saturday walked away with anything of comparative measure, three people will still see their bank accounts bulge as a result of the draw.
They will each take home $333,333 from a $1m prize pool.
