Three Lotto players took home $333,333 each in the First Division as the Powerball jackpot rolled over to $25 million for the upcoming draw. Meanwhile, officials announced a sweeping game overhaul that will increase the number matrix and alter winning odds starting mid-September.
Lotto players across New Zealand are splitting six-figure payouts following a weekend draw that left the grand prize untouched. The winning tickets for the top tier were purchased at West City Lotto in Auckland, alongside two digital purchases made through the MyLotto platform by players in Auckland and Invercargill.
Simultaneously, the separate Strike Four prize pool also reached a three-way split, delivering identical six-figure sums to another group of entrants. Those matching tickets were issued by Tauranga City Lotto, Hamilton’s Pak’nSave Clarence St, and a Waikato-based user on MyLotto. Because Powerball was not successfully struck, the jackpot climbs to $25 million for the upcoming Wednesday draw.
Second Division Winners and Nationwide Ticket Locations
These winning slips were distributed through a mix of physical retail outlets and digital accounts nationwide.
- Kaitāia: Pak’nSave Kaitāia
- Auckland: New World Stonefields and MyLotto
- Waikato: MyLotto player
- Whakatāne: Two winning tickets sold via MyLotto
- Palmerston North: MyLotto player
- Wellington: Pak’nSave Kilbirnie
- Timaru: New World Timaru
- Dunedin: New World Centre City
For those holding winning entries, claiming procedures depend heavily on the purchase method. Ticket holders who used MyLotto see results immediately upon logging in. Prizes valued at $1000 or less credit automatically to the buyer’s digital account, whereas amounts exceeding $1000 require an online claim form. Physical ticket holders must visit a designated Lotto retailer in person to collect their winnings.
Upcoming Powerball Changes and Shifting Odds
The weekend draw arrives just ahead of the biggest shake-up in nearly two decades for the national lottery. Scheduled to take effect on September 13, the overhaul alters the fundamental mechanics of the game by increasing the selectable Powerball numbers from 10 to 14.
This expansion makes the top prize considerably harder to claim. Official odds for winning Powerball Division 1 will shift from one in 38.4 million to one in 53.7 million. To offset the steeper odds and maintain player engagement, operators are introducing a new Division 8 prize pool that awards a fixed $12 prize, which officials project will generate a higher overall volume of weekly winners despite the tougher main divisions. Ticket prices will remain the same.
Transition Timeline and System Maintenance
The final draw utilizing the legacy 10-ball format will operate as a Must Be Won draw on Saturday, September 12. If there is no Powerball Division 1 winner, the jackpot prize will be shared among winners in the next winning division. Tickets for the revamped game will go on sale on September 13, ahead of the first draw under the new format on Wednesday, September 16.
To facilitate the digital migration, platform operators scheduled early site closures while updates for the new game were carried out. MyLotto closed at 9pm, while Instant Kiwi Online closed at 8.30pm. Both sites were expected to reopen as usual at 6.30am on Monday. Online services will reopen as usual from 6.30am tomorrow, a Lotto spokesperson said.
Lotto Powerball Wins in 2026 and Historical Records
The 2026 year has already seen several major Powerball wins prior to the upcoming September changes. On January 14, a $10.2m prize was won via MyLotto in Manawatū-Whanganui, followed by a $5.3m win on January 21 through MyLotto in Otago. February 14 brought a trio of large payouts: $5.08m at Coastlands Lotto in Paraparaumu, $5.08m at New World Greymouth in Greymouth, and $5.08m via MyLotto in Masterton. This was followed on February 18 by a $4.5m win at Glen Innes Dairy and Lotto Outlet in Auckland. March 28 saw two massive prizes of $12.75m each won via MyLotto in Auckland, and April 15 recorded a $14.3m win via MyLotto in New Plymouth.
These figures sit alongside the top five Lotto individual wins of all time: $44.06m in Auckland in 2016, $42.02m in Waikato in 2021, $37.12m in Wellington in 2023, $33.05m in Christchurch in 2023, and $33.01m in Auckland in 2013.
