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People across Aotearoa will be dreaming of what it might feel like to take home New Zealand’s largest Powerball jackpot
in tomorrow’s $50 million Powerball Must Be Won draw.
If won by a single ticket, the jaw-dropping jackpot will be the largest prize ever won in Lotto NZ history, and a few of
our previous big winners have some sage advice for New Zealand’s newest multi-millionaire.
Two people who know exactly what it feels like to win big, are the Auckland and Hawke’s Bay winners of February 2020’s
historic $50 million Must Be Won. The pair shared the jackpot, taking home $25.1 million each.
Their advice is to tell only those few people who are closest to you and get professional financial advice following a
big win, but they also say having some fun is important.
“Keep your circle small, but definitely share the news with someone, you will need the support of at least one other
person to get you through those first weeks.
“For me, that was so important, it gave me people to talk to and bounce ideas off while I got my head around the whole
thing,” said the Auckland winner.
“My advice for future winners would be to get some good advice from people you can trust, like financial advisors and
lawyers,” the Hawke’s Bay winner added.
“But also have some fun and do things that you may not have been able to do before your win. It could be something
you’ve always wanted to buy but have never been able to afford or even just having an extra meal out with your friends
and family,” she said.
A couple from the Hibiscus Coast who currently hold the top spot for winning Lotto NZ’s largest prize, after scoring
themselves $44.06 million in 2016, shared that eating and sleeping should be a winner’s top priority in those early days
following a win.
“First of all, don’t have a heart attack! That’s the most important thing to remember,” they laughed.
“But seriously, my best piece of advice is to remember to eat and sleep in the first two weeks. It’s the little things
like that that are easy to forget in the early days after a big win.
“Finally, the best thing we did was get good financial advice. Make sure they’re on the same wavelength as you and go
into the conversation with a good idea of what you want to do long-term.”
The $50 million Powerball prize must be won on Saturday night, so one or more lucky New Zealanders are guaranteed to win
big.
Lotto NZ is expecting ticket sales to ramp up through Friday and Saturday and so is encouraging customers to get in
early if they want to be in the draw.
“This is a lifechanging amount of money and we know people all over the motu will be dreaming about what they would do
if they won $50 million with Powerball this weekend,” says Lucy Fullarton, Lotto NZ’s Head of Corporate Communications.
“Stores will be busy from mid-afternoon on Saturday and lots of people will also be jumping online to grab their ticket
from around 6.30pm through to when sales close at 7.30pm. Our advice to anyone wanting to buy a ticket is to get in
early and avoid the rush.”
Fullarton also emphasised that Lotto NZ games are just for fun and are not an investment.
“We know that Powerball Must Be Won draws are exciting, but we always remind our customers that it only takes one ticket
to win – so only spend what you can afford out of your entertainment budget – you can pick up a Powerball ticket for
only $6,” Fullarton says.NotesFive top tips from past Lotto NZ winners:Take your time deciding what to do next. Don’t make any big decisions – like leaving your job or making expensive
purchases – until you’ve had a chance to work out what you really want to do with your winnings.Think carefully about who you tell about your big win. Remember that once you tell somebody, you can’t un-tell them.Take a small amount of the prize to spend on something special, and put the rest in an interest-earning savings account
for at least three months. This gives you plenty of time to let the reality of your win sink in. GLet professional financial advice from a registered financial advisor. Financial advisors are experts in helping people
manage their money and can help winners manage their unexpected windfall and set themselves up for the future.Have fun! Winning Powerball is an incredible time in a winner’s life, so take some time to enjoy the experience.
Top 10 Largest Prizes in Lotto NZ history (won by a single ticket):RankDateGamePrizeStoreLocation12016Powerball$44.06 millionDairy Flat Food MartAuckland22021Powerball$42.2 millionCountdown PokenoWaikato32023Powerball$37.12 millionNew World KāpitiWellington42009Big Wednesday$36.1 millionKuripuni Lotto & PostMasterton52023Powerball$33.5 millionFresh Choice MerivaleChristchurch62013Powerball$33.1 millionOne Step Ahead PonsonbyAuckland72017Powerball$30.25 millionRichmond SuperetteTaupo82024Powerball$30.16 millionMyLottoWellington92010Powerball$28.7 millionMobil PapakuraAuckland102022Powerball$28.1 millionMeg Star WaitakereAuckland
Powerball wins in 2024:DatePrize (Powerball and Lotto First Division)StoreLocation27 January$17.25 millionMyLottoCanterbury2 March$12.3 millionMyLottoOtago10 February$8.3 millionMyLottoHawke’s Bay13 April$30.16 millionMyLottoWellington