The 7 Biggest Lottery Wins in New Zealand

Winning the lottery is a dream for many Kiwis, turning ordinary days into extraordinary ones with a single stroke of luck. In New Zealand, numerous individuals have had the luck to experience this life-changing moment. Most of these winnings were made with lotto tickets of Lotto New Zealand, our country’s premier lottery since the late 1980s.

Featuring an easy to understand main game of six balls and a bonus ball and rather daunting odds, very few Kiwis are destined for ultimate wins. But those who happen to have luck on their side will be able to enjoy million dollar prizes. We made sure to bundle the biggest wins made by Kiwis to give you the inspiration you’re looking for.

This list gives you the seven biggest lottery wins in New Zealand’s history. From anonymous winners who delayed checking their numbers to pensioners donating their newfound wealth, each story is unique and inspiring. Join us as we explore these Kiwi tales of fortune, starting with a $33 million win in Auckland and moving our way up to a staggering $50 million jackpot of 2020.

We’ll also reveal the gambling destinations in New Zealand where the wins were made with most winners found on the northern island. Lottery tickets can be purchased via online gambling sites or at one of the thousands of physical shops throughout the country.

7. $33 million: Auckland, Oct 2013

Now picture yourself driving your car whilst listening to the radio when the Lotto announces the shop where the most recent winning Lotto ticket was bought which coincidentally happens to be the exact same place where you bought yours. A now millionaire from Auckland was lucky enough to go through this situation, but the funny thing was that he only checked his ticket after finishing his session at the gym. The 33 million dollar prize was won in 2013 and is still listed as one of the highest lotto wins of all times in New Zealand.

6. $36.9 million: Masterton, June 2009

A few years earlier, Masterton happened to be one of the country’s luckiest lotto towns. With an average lottery win of $2,116 per head that year, one player was treated with a $36.9m win. The prize was drawn during the Big Wednesday jackpot. This win came just 11 days after a $5.5 million jackpot was won in the same region. Interestingly, the prize was won by a family who decided to equally share the nearly 37 million dollars. 72-year-old pensioner Margaret donated a large portion of her winnings to different charitable organisations.

5. $38 million: Warkworth and Greytown, November 2017

This million dollar win was split between two winners in November 2017. Two lucky winners from Warkworth and Greytown were each handed $19 million when they won the highly sought after Powerball draw in November 2017. There were also four other First Division players with one correct number, each earning a significant share of the jackpot. One of the winners announced straight on the spot that he was quitting his job working on the Puhoi motorway extension project.

4. $38 million: Auckland, October 2019

This second 38 million dollar jackpot on this list was also split between two winners in October 2019. This major win occurred about two years later and was triggered just slightly more south in Auckland. The two lucky Aucklanders who won the Powerball jackpot each took home a staggering amount of $19,142,857. One of the winners purchased her ticket just a few minutes before the actual lottery draw. It ended up being the second-largest Lotto win in New Zealand history at that point, although this win was later surpassed.

3. $44 million: Hibiscus Coast, November 2016

This 44 million dollar win was also made on the Powerball lottery. It was in November 2016 when a couple from Hibiscus Coast saw their dreams come true. At the time, this was a record breaking win. The couple purchased their lottery ticket at Dairy Flat Food Mart and Liquor and announced that they want to travel around the world with their fortune. Stressed about his mortgage just before Christmas 2016, all of his problems were immediately solved.

2. $50 million: Auckland, February 2020

This 50 million prize was also split between two different winners and occurred in February 2020. The two were rather lucky with this win as it might make the corona pandemic a lot more manageable for both winners. A month before a total lockdown was announced, the two winners earned $25 million each in the Powerball draw. It was the first time that the draw hit the $50 million dollar mark. The winning tickets were purchased at two different locations; the first one was bought at the Countdown Manukau City Mall whilst the second one was purchased online via the MyLotto app. It has been announced that the winner resided in Auckland. Interestingly, it was the first time the “Must Be Won” draw was made since 2016.

1. $50 million: Auckland, August 2020

The grand prize is divided amongst the second division winners when nobody triggers the first division Powerball jackpot. This is exactly what happened with the capped $50 million pot in August 2020. This massive prize was won whilst the rest of New Zealand was under lockdown during the pandemic, adding an extraordinary twist to an already historic win.

Ten second division winners each received $5 million after the thrilling draw. In the hours before the draw, one player went ahead and spent $2000 on tickets. What followed was a long wait for some players as they had to wait hours for the software to update before they could check their numbers. This turned out to be a worthwhile wait as the winners were able to take home massive prizes. Five of the tickets were bought in Auckland.

About iGaming in New Zealand

The iGaming market in New Zealand is a rather interesting market, to say the very least. Whilst the Gambling Act of 2003 does not allow online gaming in New Zealand, government-owned operators like Lotto NZ and TAB NZ are allowed to respectively offer lottery tickets and sports betting. Online casinos operating in New Zealand make use of an offshore licence to offer their online gambling products. Our online casino reviews only recommend licenced casino brands that accept players from New Zealand.