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how does lotto work nz

New Zealand Lotto is a numbers game where you pick 6 numbers from 1 to 40, and prizes are based on how many of your numbers match the balls drawn (with optional extras like Powerball and Strike that change the prizes and odds).

Basic Lotto (the main game)

  • You choose 6 numbers between 1 and 40 for each “line”.
  • In the draw, a machine draws 6 main balls from 40, plus a separate “bonus” ball from the same 40 numbers.
  • To win First Division (the main jackpot), you need all 6 main numbers on one line (order does not matter).
  • Smaller prizes are paid if you match fewer numbers (for example, 3 main numbers up to 5 main + bonus), with the lowest prize usually starting from 3 numbers.
  • Lotto draws run twice a week, on Wednesday and Saturday.

Rough guide: matching all 6 numbers typically pays somewhere around a few hundred thousand dollars on average in regular Lotto.

Powerball add‑on

Powerball is an extra game you bolt onto a normal Lotto ticket.

  • You choose (or get given) one Powerball number from 1 to 10, drawn from a separate machine.
  • You must win Lotto First Division and have the correct Powerball to hit the Powerball jackpot.
  • Powerball jackpots start around NZD 4 million and can roll up to a cap of NZD 50 million, with “Must Be Won” draws if it reaches the cap (money rolls down to the next prize level if nobody gets all numbers).
  • Adding Powerball costs extra per line (around 80 cents per line on top of your Lotto cost).

This is why you see big headline jackpots – they’re Lotto + Powerball together.

Strike add‑on

Strike is another optional game based on the order of the first four Lotto numbers drawn.

  • You pick four numbers (from 1 to 40), and you’re betting they’ll be the first four numbers out in the correct order.
  • Get all four in the exact order and you can win a six‑figure prize on average (often over NZD 100,000).
  • Smaller Strike prizes are paid if you get 1, 2, or 3 of the first four numbers in the correct positions (with the lowest level often giving a free ticket).
  • Strike costs extra per play (around NZD 1).

Where and how you play

You can play in two main ways:

  • In‑store: At authorised Lotto outlets, where the terminal prints a ticket for you.
  • Online (MyLotto): Through the official NZ Lotto website/app, where you can:
    • Save favourite numbers,
    • Set up recurring tickets,
    • Check results and get notifications instantly.

MyLotto is run by Lotto New Zealand and is designed to be user‑friendly, with features like account management, real‑time result updates, and tools for responsible play such as spend limits.

Odds, payouts, and where the money goes

  • The odds of winning the top Lotto prize are long, because you must match 6 out of 40 numbers exactly (order irrelevant).
  • Powerball odds are even tougher because you need both Lotto First Division and the correct Powerball.
  • On average, around 55 cents of every NZD 1 spent goes back to players in prizes.
  • Lotto NZ is regulated under the Gambling Act 2003 and run by the New Zealand Lotteries Commission, with profits going to community and charity funding.

Responsible play

Because Lotto is gambling, it’s easy to overestimate your chances and underestimate your spend.

  • Safer gambling groups highlight that Lotto odds are very long and the game is designed so most people don’t win big.
  • Official platforms and some guides emphasise setting limits, treating it as entertainment, and using tools like spend caps online.

A useful way to think of it: Lotto is more like buying a small chance at a dream than a realistic money‑making plan.

TL;DR: In NZ Lotto you pick 6 numbers from 1–40; if they match the 6 drawn, you win First Division, and if you added Powerball and that number matches too, you’re in line for the huge jackpots.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.