Powerball ‘Must Be Won’ Week Called - $32 Million on Offer

No single ticket had the right combination of numbers to win Lotto Powerball tonight, so its First Division has jackpotted to an estimated $32 million, meaning a ‘Must Be Won’ week has been called, says NZ Lotteries’ Chief Executive Todd McLeay.

“According to the game rules, when the Powerball First Division prize reaches the threshold of $30 million, a ‘Must Be Won’ draw must be called for that week, however the prize can jackpot higher than the threshold depending on sales.”

When a ‘Must Be Won’ draw is held, if the Powerball First Division prize is not won, then the Powerball First Division prize pool is added to that of the next highest Powerball prize division where there are winners and shared between those winners.

There have only been four ‘Must Be Won’ draws in the history of Powerball, and each time they were won by Powerball Second Division winners. However, if there are no Powerball Second Division winners, then the prize goes to Powerball Third Division, meaning it could be split by a large number of players – for example, last weekend there were 93 Powerball Third Division winners.

The last ‘Must Be Won’ Powerball draw was on Saturday 18 October 2008. With no First Division Powerball winners, the prize rolled down to the five Second Division Powerball winners from around New Zealand, who won $6,1 million each.

Meanwhile, a Lotto player from Te Puke has won a Lotto First Division prize of $1 million tonight.

The winning Lotto ticket was sold at Te Puke Four Square in Te Puke.

Strike Four was also struck tonight with a player from Arrowtown winning $272,735.

Meanwhile at the live Lotto draw, Hamilton couple Trevor and Joyce spun and won $200,000 on the Winning Wheel in Wellington this evening.

Tonight’s Winning Wheel ticket was bought at Golden Nugget Lotto Shop in Lower Hutt. The serial number is 041-06946569-20XX.

Anyone who bought their ticket from any of the above winning stores should write their name on the back of the ticket and check it immediately at any Lotto outlet

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