Anyone pocketing this week’s prize will become the fifth New Zealand Powerball jackpot winner of the year and the 132nd since the game began in 2001. The biggest winners of 2016 so far were a couple from Ashburton who claimed NZ$22 million in April. Anyone looking to follow in their footsteps may choose to heed the words of Lotto New Zealand, who revealed recently that Powerball number 3 is the one that has turned up most often when players have hit the jackpot. A total of 22 ticket holders have that digit to thank for their newfound fortune and it was also the first ever Powerball drawn.
The Division One prize pool has a jackpot cap of NZ$40 million, which might be reached if no one matches all six main numbers and the Powerball on Wednesday. The total rose by NZ$4 million following Saturday’s draw and a leap of NZ$6 million ahead of next Saturday could be possible thanks to the increased interest - and ticket sales - that a further rollover would create. Once the top prize reaches its cap, there is a Must Be Won draw where, if there is no jackpot winner, the full amount rolls down and is shared between the players in the next winning prize tier.
More than a million players are expected to join in the fun ahead of Wednesday’s NZ$34 million New Zealand Powerball draw, with hefty queues expected at lottery retailers everywhere between Auckland and Invercargill. However, you don’t have to be a Kiwi to stake your claim for this massive lottery payday.
Online lottery concierge services will take your order wherever you live in the world and will send a locally-based employee to pick up the tickets on your behalf. You will receive scanned copies into your player account and will be informed if you are a winner, with smaller prizes paid immediately. For jackpot winnings, they may even arrange for you to visit New Zealand to pick up your giant cheque in person. Good luck!
