Lotto Powerball: One winner scoops $42m jackpot in one of NZ's largest draws ever
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The numbers are in - one lucky Powerball ticket is now worth $42.2 million, the second biggest win in Lotto history.
And while that person will be celebrating, thousands of other Kiwis have been left in the dark about their own results, as Lotto's app and website come under heavy strain.
A single player - with a ticket bought in the small Waikato town of Pokeno, near the southern border of Auckland - has won the second-largest Powerball prize ever in New Zealand.
Tonight's numbers are: 2, 3, 4, 7, 19, 31. The bonus ball is 8 and the Powerball is 9.
Strike Four numbers were 4, 19, 3, 31, with seven players winning $142,857 each.
The winning ticket was sold at Countdown Pokeno - a town with a population of 3320, 5km from Mercer, and currently in level-3 restrictions.
Waikato District councillor for the Awaroa ki Tuakau ward Jacqui Church was ecstatic to hear a ticket sold in Pokeno had won big.
Church said it was a nice piece of news as the region remained at alert level 3. "People are really suffering in their home so if someone in Pokeno's won the big one that's such good news," she said.
Church hopes the news will boost the community's morale - and that's certainly the mood on the Pokeno Facebook community page tonight. "Oh wow little old Pokeno," one shocked local said.
Once famous as a State Highway 1 stop-off for ice creams and bacon, Pokeno is now bypassed by the Waikato expressway leading into Auckland - but it has become an area for new builds and slightly more affordable housing.
Its average house price is $1.076 million, according to this week's OneRoof property guide.
"Someone brought home the bacon tonight congrats to the winner," a person wrote on a Lotto Facebook post.
This is the third time the jackpot has exceeded $40m since November 2016.
"Tonight's $42.2 million Powerball win is the second largest prize ever won in New Zealand – there's no denying that it's a life-changing win," says Kirsten Robinson - communications manager at Lotto NZ.
"This year is shaping up to be a lucky one for Powerball players, with 16 Kiwis winning big with Powerball so far this year. We can't wait to congratulate our newest overnight multi-millionaire."
The $42.2 million prize is made up of $42 million from Powerball First Division and $200,000 from Lotto First Division.
Four lucky Lotto players will also be celebrating tonight after each winning $200,000 with Lotto First Division.
Lotto's MyLotto app and website are tonight groaning under the strain of customers trying to check their online tickets, with some players unable to log in to their accounts.
A message on the site says: "We're currently experiencing issues for players trying to top up, we're working as quickly as we can to try and fix this. Sorry for the inconvenience."
Punters scrambling to check their tickets on MyLotto were told they would need to wait for more than an hour before being able to check their tickets.
Lotto NZ released a statement on social media tonight apologising that some players may have experienced issues when trying to top up or buy their tickets.
Customers who tried to top up but weren't successful will have their funds returned to their bank account.
"For players trying to login to check their tickets tonight, MyLotto is still very busy and we encourage you to try again tomorrow," the Lotto NZ statement said.
"During high jackpots we always encourage players to buy their tickets early to avoid our busiest times. We will continue to update you as we know more."
Punters however weren't impressed.
"There's never been these kinds of holdups/delays/queues in the past when trying to check online tickets. Maybe it's because there are a lot more checking with such a big prize, however if you're going to promote online buying, then you need the resources (server "speed" or whatever technical thingy it is) to deliver," said one person on the Lotto Facebook page.
Another punter expressed the frustration of many: "My question is I bought a ticket on the app at 7pm, 30 minutes before it closed and it took the money out straight away," they wrote on Lotto's Facebook page. "But I have no ticket, am I still going to get a ticket? I don't want a refunded ticket for the next draw or my money to buy again another time, I wanted a ticket for this draw only. I rarely buy lotto and when i do it's for a big draw because that's when I'm willing to spend money. Can I have my ticket please and thank you."
"How is it that NZ Herald can announce a winner b4 LOTTO Nz does..." said another
Lotto New Zealand says the largest prize won in the country was a $44 million Powerball prize won by a young couple from the Hibiscus Coast in November 2016.
"Wednesday's $42 million Powerball jackpot is one of the largest prizes ever on offer in New Zealand, it's one for the Lotto NZ history books," said senior corporate communications manager Kirsten Robinson.
Some 1.5 million tickets were purchased for Saturday's $35 million Powerball draw, which did not see a winner.
While players are undoubtedly pumped about the prospect of a life-changing win, level 3 lockdown restrictions mean many retailers are missing out on sales that could get them through the year.
Under level 3 restrictions Lotto outlets in essential services like supermarkets and dairies can open, provided they can meet the health and safety guidelines set out by the Ministry of Health. Outlets in malls or other non-essential stores are unable to open.
A former store owner said big draws were the "lifeline" of Lotto shops so missing out on a share of the action was devastating for many.
"The bigger it gets, the more of a frenzy that occurs because it doesn't happen that often. Lotto often gets won at $10m, $12m or $20m but when it gets this high it creates such a frenzy and that's when the Lotto shops will actually make money.
"So retailers wait, sometimes years, for draws like this to happen," she said.
"If it gets to $50 million it will go absolutely bonkers."
The woman, who owned a Lotto store for 20 years, said the hype created by such large draws lasted for weeks and was what retailers waited for to get them through the year.
Once the prize pool reached the $50m limit at which it must be won, retailers made thousands of dollars more in commission than they usually would, she said.
"For retailers, it is so incredibly important. It's literally thousands of dollars that are used to pay wages, rent and expenses over the coming months when things quieten down after the prize gets won."
Nov 2016 - $44 million, Dairy Flat Food Mart and Liquor, Auckland
Sep 2013 - $33 million, One Step Ahead, Auckland
Sep 2017 - $30 million, Richmond Superette, Taupo
Oct 2010, $28 million, Mobil Papakura, Auckland
May 2017- $27 million, Martina Four Square, Thames
