It was a night to remember for Lotto NZ and players across the country as the historic $55 million Must Be Won Powerball draw delivered life-changing wins to three lucky ticket holders.
Each of the three winners matched all six Lotto numbers along with the winning Powerball number, splitting the massive jackpot evenly. Each player took home a prize totalling $18,388,889, made up of $18,333,333 from Powerball First Division and an additional $55,556 from Lotto First Division.
The winning tickets were sold at New World Kawerau in Kawerau, Pak N Save Moorhouse in Christchurch, and through the MyLotto app to a player based in Auckland.
In addition to the major winners, 62 other Lotto players won Second Division prizes worth $16,909 each. Ten of these players also held the winning Powerball Second Division numbers, bumping their total winnings up to $24,916.
Among the Powerball Second Division winners were two players from Invercargill who bought their tickets using the MyLotto app, as well as another winner from Mataura.
It was a historic evening not only due to the size of the jackpot, but also for the number of New Zealanders impacted by the nationwide draw. With millions watching live, the excitement was felt from the Far North to the Deep South.
The $55 million prize pool marked the largest Must Be Won draw ever held in New Zealand, making it a moment of celebration for Lotto NZ and all its players.