Two lucky Lotto players from Auckland will celebrate this week after winning $500,000 each in Saturday's Lotto draw, reports 1News. An additional player from Hastings has scooped up $200,000 in the same draw. This brings the total prize money awarded on Saturday to $1.2 million across the three players.
According to MyLotto[1], the two Auckland winners both purchased their winning tickets from Paper Plus Sylvia Park in Mount Wellington. Each ticket shared Division 1, scoring the players $500,000. This is a life-changing amount of money that will surely bring great joy.
The Hastings player purchased their ticket from Flaxmere Food Market and won $200,000 in Division 2. While less than the Division 1 winners, this is still an incredible prize that will make a real difference to the player's life.
Lotto provides entertainment and excitement to millions of Kiwis every year. The hopes of winning and financial security drive ticket sales, especially when the jackpot grows over several weeks without a winner. This latest draw shows that substantial prizes can still be won even when the jackpot isn't astronomical.
According to Lotto NZ, over the past 12 months, over 200 Kiwi Lotto winners of $1 million or more. The vast majority of these winners are from across the North Island. Auckland and the upper North Island remain lottery hot spots, but big wins can happen almost anywhere.
The odds of winning the Division 1 Lotto remain tiny, at just 1 in 3,772,793. But Kiwis keep playing and hoping for that life-changing phone call. This week brings news of immense good fortune for two Auckland ticket holders.
Lotto provides essential funding for over 3,000 good causes and community groups all over New Zealand. So, while the odds of winning are low, ticket purchases contribute positively to society. This alone can make buying a ticket worthwhile for many people.
The next Lotto draw takes place on Wednesday, with an estimated $1 million up for grabs. There will undoubtedly be a renewed wave of enthusiasm amongst players as dreams of financial freedom resurface. Only time will tell if more Kiwis will join the millionaire winner's club this week.