Aucklander Claims $9.4 Mil Lotto Powerball Prize

Aucklander Claims $9.4 Million Lotto Powerball Prize

A family man from Auckland has claimed the $9.4 million Lotto Powerball prize that was won a week ago, says New Zealand Lotteries Commission (NZ Lotteries) Chief Executive Trevor Hall.

The winner, who wishes to remain anonymous, claimed the prize at Manukau City Lotto, the same store that sold the winning ticket, on Saturday afternoon.

He takes home a total prize of $9,357,086, $8,838,713 from winning Powerball First Division and $518,373 from also winning Lotto First Division. The windfall is the seventh biggest Powerball win ever by a single ticket.

The winner said he had "absolutely no idea" he had won the jackpot until he went into the store.

"I still can't quite believe it. I went to get this week's Triple Dip and hadn't checked the ticket at all. I knew that a ticket from Manukau City had won it, and I had even joked about it earlier on with my family.

"The girl in the shop told me she had to call Wellington about my ticket and that I would have to wait five minutes.

"I waited and time went on and on, it seemed like forever, and then she came back and told me I'd won the big one."

The winner, who is a regular Lotto player, said the windfall couldn't have come at a better time for him and his family with Christmas and other family celebrations coming up.

He plans to share the winnings with family members, as well as treating himself to a new motorbike.

The Auckland win is the third big Powerball jackpot won this year. In September, an Aucklander won $15 million and in June a Hawkes Bay family scored $12 million.

ENDS

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