$8.6 Million Lotto Powerball Prize Won

1 January 2006

$8.6 Million Lotto Powerball Prize Won by Ticket from Tauranga on New Year's Eve Still to be Claimed

A lucky player who bought a ticket at 525 Mags and Cards in Tauranga and won $8.6 million with Powerball First Division in last night's New Year's Eve Lotto draw is still to claim their prize, says NZ Lotteries Chief Executive Trevor Hall.

When they claim their prize, the owner of the ticket will collect a total prize of $8.6 million with $8 million from winning Powerball First Division and $601,253 from also winning Lotto First Division.

"It could be that the lucky player is still unaware that they've won. They may have had a big night on New Year's Eve and haven't got round to checking yet," says Mr Hall.

Mr Hall's advice for the Powerball winner is to write their name and address on the ticket, confirming their ownership.

"They should then contact NZ Lotteries Wellington office who can provide advice about the next steps to take," he said.

"We have people waiting to talk the big winner through the prize process. All they need to do is call 04 8027000," he says.

He says the same goes for the other Lotto First Division winner from last night's draw. Another Lotto ticket, sold at Books and More, Hastings, also won Lotto First Division in tonight's draw, winning $601,253, and this prize is still to be claimed.

"Lotto players in Tauranga and Hastings should check their tickets, as these big prizes from the weekend are just waiting to be claimed, "Mr Hall says.

The win is the eighth biggest prize ever won by a lottery player in New Zealand. The biggest, $15.3 million, was won by a ticket sold at Amigos Paper Power and Lotto in Auckland in September.

There were three other big Lotto Powerball winners in 2005. In February a ticket sold in Paraparaumu, near Wellington, won a lucky Rugby Sevens fan $6.6 million; in June a Hawkes Bay family won $12 million with a ticket sold in Napier; and in November, a ticket bought in Manukau won $9.4 million.

"It's been a brilliant year for Lotto Powerball winners, and what a way for it to end for whoever has tonight's winning ticket," says Mr Hall.

ENDS

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