Lotto NZ: Complete Game Guide & Rules

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Lotto FAQ & Rules

Learn how to play, discover winning odds, and find answers to common questions.

Lotto launched in 1987 and is currently the most purchased New Zealand lottery game. With a First Division prize of $1 million each draw, it has true potential to make winners rich.

The Lotto draw takes place on Wednesdays at 8:20 pm and Saturdays at 8 pm, where six balls plus one bonus ball are randomly drawn from a Smartplay Halogen II machine. The machine is filled with 40 balls numbered from 1 to 40. To win the First Division prize, you must match all of the six main Lotto numbers drawn.

The odds of winning the First Division prize are 1 in 3,838,380. However, you can win lower division prizes by matching as little as 3 main numbers, where the odds are 1 in 35! You can check the Lotto results to see if you won during the live draw broadcasted on television, online, or in-store at any Lotto New Zealand outlet.

How to play Lotto?

Lotto is a pretty simple game of chance. Start by choosing a six-digit line of numbers plus one bonus number. You can either choose this number yourself or have it randomly generated for you. Tickets cost $0.70 per line, with a minimum of four lines needed. Then, wait for the soonest live draw, either on Wednesdays at 8:20 pm or Saturdays at 8 pm.

During the live draw, a machine is filled with 40 balls numbered 1 to 40. 6 main balls plus 1 bonus ball are randomly drawn from the machine. If you mark off all six numbers on the same line - you win the First Division prize of $1 million!

The Powerball Add-on: Boost Your Winnings

Powerball was introduced in February of 2001 as an add-on for the main Lotto game. By adding Powerball to your Lotto ticket, you can greatly enhance the prizes. In the main Lotto game, they offer a maximum First Division prize of $1 million, but by adding the Powerball add-on, you could win as much as $44 million! A pretty big jump from the regular $1 million, huh?

To play Powerball, one must purchase a minimum of four Powerball numbers per ticket at the cost of $0.80 per line. The Powerball number could be any number between 1 and 10. Then, during the live Lotto draw, along with the six main numbers and one bonus number drawn, a Powerball number is also drawn from a separate machine. To win Powerball, you need to win any prize division from the main Lotto game as well as match the Powerball number. So, if you don’t win anything in the main Lotto game, you could not win anything from Powerball. Powerball simply enhances your win.

Here’s a breakdown of how to win each division, the odds of winning, and the average prize:

Division How to win Odds Average prize
1 Match all six winning numbers plus the Powerball 1 in 38,383,800 Over $11 million
2 Match five winning numbers plus the bonus ball and the Powerball 1 in 6,397,300 $37,252
3 Match five winning numbers plus the Powerball 1 in 193,858 $1,155
4 Match four winning numbers plus the bonus ball and the Powerball 1 in 77,543 $107
5 Match four winning numbers plus the Powerball 1 in 4846 $57
6 Match three winning numbers plus the bonus ball and the Powerball 1 in 3635 $40
7 Match three winning numbers plus the Powerball 1 in 352 $15 + 4 bonus lines (fixed prize)

Lotto Strike!: Play the First Four Numbers

Lotto Strike was introduced on April 3rd in 1993 as an add-on for the original Lotto game. You can currently play Strike with any Lotto or Powerball ticket or simply on its own for $1 per line.

In the main Lotto game, your goal is to match the six main numbers drawn. With the Strike add-on, you would focus on the first four numbers from the main Lotto game. To play Strike, choose any four numbers from 1 to 40. You can pick these numbers yourself or you can choose to play Dips, where the numbers are randomly generated for you. Then, as the draw takes place, your goal with the Lotto Strike add-on is to match any of the first four numbers drawn in Lotto in the exact same order that they were drawn.

There are four different prize tiers that could be won in Lotto Strike: Strike 1, Strike 2, Strike 3, and Strike 4, with Strike 4 offering the highest jackpot and Strike 1 offering a fixed prize of one bonus line. There is a minimum jackpot for Strike 4, which is $100,000. The jackpot rolls over until it reaches $700,000 or until the tenth draw without a winner. Here’s exactly how to win each of the prizes as well as their odds and the average prize:

Prize How to win Odds Average prize
Strike 1 Match one number in the correct order 1 in 11 1 bonus line (fixed)
Strike 2 Match any two numbers in the correct order 1 in 274 $67
Strike 3 Match any three numbers in the correct order 1 in 15,232 $668
Strike 4 Match any four numbers in the correct order 1 in 2,193,360 Over $300,000

Lotto FAQ

The Lotto draw takes place every Wednesday and Saturday night at 8:20 pm and 8 pm accordingly.
The Lotto draw is broadcast on TV1.
The Lotto ticket sales close at 7:30 pm on both Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Lotto tickets cost $0.70 per line.
Lotto tickets can be bought in-store and online through the Lotto New Zealand official website.
There is no age limit for playing Lotto. However, if you are using an online concierge service to buy tickets, you are required to be 18 years or older.
Yes, you can buy the tickets through an online concierge service.
You could win Lotto by matching as little as three winning numbers. However, to win the First Division prize in Lotto, you have to match all six winning numbers.
Yes. The minimum guaranteed jackpot is $1 million.
The jackpot remains $1 million for every draw. However, with add-ons, you could win more. In this case, the biggest Lotto jackpot ever won including add-ons was $44 million on the draw of November 9th, 2016. This jackpot was won with the Powerball add-on.
No, the Lotto jackpot always remains $1 million. However, the prize for the Powerball add-on does rollover until it reaches $50 million.
Yes. Lotto prizes have to be claimed within 12 months from the date of the draw for which the ticket was purchased.
Lottery prizes are awarded tax-free. However, if you reside outside of New Zealand, it is best to consult with a financial expert.
Lotto results from previous draws can be found on the official Lotto New Zealand website or right here on our page.