The short answer: you need to match at least three of the six main numbers on a single line to win anything, and matching all six wins Division 1. Between those two points sits a seven-tier structure, so your ticket does not have to be perfect to return a prize.
This guide walks through what each match is worth, how the bonus ball fits in, what Powerball adds after its September 2026 revamp, and how Strike works on a different principle. For the pure probability behind each tier, see our companion guide to the odds of winning Lotto in NZ.
How the draw is structured
Each draw, six main balls are drawn from a pool of 40, followed by one bonus ball from the remaining 34. The draws are run on physical ball machines with independent scrutineers present, as set out in the Lotto NZ FAQ — draws use physical ball machines with Audit NZ scrutineers.
To win a prize, the required numbers all have to land on the same line of your ticket. The computer checks each line separately, so you cannot combine matches from different lines, and for standard Lotto the order the balls come out does not matter.
Every division, and what it takes
Lotto has seven divisions. The fewer numbers a tier needs, the easier it is to hit — and the smaller the prize.
Lotto divisions at a glance
Seven divisions, from matching three numbers up to all six. Every required number must land on the same line of your ticket.
| Division | You match | Odds per line | Typical prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| Division 1 | 6 main numbers | 1 in 3,838,380 | million pool, shared if more than one line wins |
| Division 2 | 5 + bonus ball | 1 in 639,730 | Large pari-mutuel cash, varies |
| Division 3 | 5 main numbers | 1 in 19,386 | Pari-mutuel cash, varies |
| Division 4 | 4 + bonus ball | 1 in 7,754 | Pari-mutuel cash, varies |
| Division 5 | 4 main numbers | 1 in 485 | Small set cash prize |
| Division 6 | 3 + bonus ball | 1 in 363 | Small set cash prize |
| Division 7 | 3 main numbers | 1 in 35 | Free tickets for the next draw |
Divisions 2 to 4 are pari-mutuel (shared pools), so the amounts change every draw. Check the live prize breakdown on the results page for the exact current figures.
The top prize, Division 1, is a $1 million pool each draw and is shared if more than one line wins. The middle divisions pay pari-mutuel cash prizes — shared pools that change with each draw’s ticket sales — so the exact amounts vary. The lowest tier, Division 7, pays a small set prize, typically free tickets for the next draw. For the exact current amounts, check the prize breakdown on our Lotto results page after any draw.
Matching three numbers
Three main numbers is the entry point, and the most common winning experience for anyone playing a multi-line Dip.
If your line has three main numbers and misses the bonus ball, you win Division 7: a small set prize, usually free tickets for the next draw. Add the bonus ball to those three main numbers and you move up to Division 6, a small cash prize.
At 1 in 35 for Division 7, a ten-line ticket will fairly regularly return a free-ticket prize, which quietly extends the life of a play budget without ever being a way to come out ahead.
Matching four or five numbers
Four main numbers lifts you into the mid-tier cash pools. Four main numbers without the bonus ball wins Division 5 (a small set cash prize). The same four with the bonus ball jumps you to Division 4, a larger pari-mutuel amount that varies by draw.
Five main numbers wins Division 3; five plus the bonus ball wins Division 2, the tier just below the jackpot. Both are meaningful cash prizes, and both are pari-mutuel, so the figure depends on how many others share the pool that night.
The bonus ball, clearly
The bonus ball causes more confusion than any other part of the game, so it is worth being precise. It is the seventh ball, drawn from the 34 that remain after the six main balls; for the full matrix and how the physical draws run, see Wikipedia — Lotto New Zealand (matrix, Strike, physical draws).
Key points
Three things that change the maths once you understand them:
- The bonus ball is a modifier, not a substitute. It can lift you into Divisions 2, 4 or 6, but it never replaces a missing main number and plays no part in Division 1.
- Powerball is a separate, harder layer. Since 13 September 2026 it is drawn from 1 to 14, so each Powerball division is fourteen times harder than the Lotto equivalent. The new Division 8 — two main numbers, the bonus ball and the Powerball — now pays a fixed .
- Strike is about order. You must match the first four balls drawn in their exact positions, which is a completely different game from standard Lotto.
- A special ball alone wins nothing. The Powerball on its own, or the bonus ball on its own, pays nothing without the required main-number match.
The key point: the bonus ball is a modifier, not a substitute. It can lift you from one division into a higher one (into Divisions 2, 4 or 6), but it can never stand in for a missing main number, and it plays no part in Division 1. Match five main numbers plus the bonus ball and you have won Division 2, not the jackpot. Only six main numbers wins Division 1.
What Powerball adds
Powerball creates a parallel, higher-value set of divisions on top of the standard game. You add one number from a separate machine — since 13 September 2026 drawn from 1 to 14, up from 1 to 10 — for an extra $0.80 per line. If a line matches a standard Lotto division and holds the correct Powerball on the same row, the prize is upgraded to the matching Powerball division.
Each Powerball division is the equivalent Lotto division made fourteen times harder, because the Powerball is now one number in 14. Powerball Division 1 — all six main numbers plus the Powerball — is now 1 in 53,737,320 (about 1 in 53.7 million); before the change it was 1 in 38,383,800.
The September 2026 revamp also added a new Powerball Division 8, which pays a fixed $12 to a line that matches two main numbers, the bonus ball and the Powerball. That lowered the entry point: you used to need at least three main numbers plus the Powerball to win a Powerball prize. Matching the Powerball on its own still wins nothing. At the same time the starting jackpot rose from $4 million to $5 million and the maximum jackpot cap from $50 million to $60 million, and the fixed Powerball Division 7 prize increased from $15 to $20. The standard Lotto side is unchanged. For the full detail of the new format, see Lotto NZ — Powerball changes from 13 September 2026, and for how it is played and priced, see the Powerball NZ guide and our page on Powerball ticket prices.
Strike: a different kind of matching
Strike is a separate game, and it works on a completely different principle: order matters. You pick four numbers, and to win you have to match the first four main balls in the exact order they are drawn. That exact-order match has odds of about 1 in 2,193,360 per line.
Matching all four in order wins the top Strike prize — a rolling jackpot that starts at $200,000 and can build to a $1.5 million cap. Matching three or two numbers in their correct positions pays a pari-mutuel prize that varies by draw (recently averaging around $670 and $67 respectively), while a single number in the right position returns a free Strike line. Strike costs $1.00 per line and can be played on its own, without a standard Lotto ticket. Standard Lotto lines, by comparison, cost $0.70 each — see our guide to Lotto ticket prices.
Claiming what you match
How you collect depends on the amount, not the number of balls. Prizes of $1,000 or less are paid on the spot at any Lotto NZ outlet (cash or EFTPOS), or credited automatically to your MyLotto wallet if you played online. Prizes over $1,000 use a Prize Claim Form and are paid to your bank account.
All prizes, however small, must be claimed within 12 months of the draw. There is a full walkthrough in our guide on how to claim Lotto winnings in NZ. And whatever you win, it is tax-free — the amount allocated to your division is the amount that reaches you.
A word on number choice
A common belief is that certain patterns are “smarter” to play. Mathematically that is not quite right, but there is a grain of truth worth keeping.
Every combination of six numbers has the exact same 1 in 3,838,380 chance. A sequential line like 1-2-3-4-5-6 is no less likely than any scattered spread; the machine has no memory or sense of pattern, so picking “unusual” numbers does not improve your odds.
What it can do is reduce how much you would share a prize. Because so many people play birthdays (numbers 1 to 31), choosing some numbers above 31 means that if you do win, you are less likely to split the prize with a crowd. It changes the payout you would receive, not your chance of winning it.
Disclaimer
This article is provided for general information only. It does not encourage anyone to gamble, buy lottery tickets, or spend money on any product, and it is not financial, legal or professional advice. Lottery games are games of chance with a negative expected return, and no number selection, pattern or purchase channel improves your odds of winning. Prize structures, divisions, odds and rules change — always confirm the current details with Lotto New Zealand at mylotto.co.nz before acting on anything here.
You must be 18 or over to buy or claim lottery products in New Zealand. If gambling is causing harm to you or someone you know, free 24/7 support is available from the Gambling Helpline on 0800 654 655 or by texting 8006, from Safer Gambling Aotearoa, and from PGF Services on 0800 664 262. Gambling in New Zealand is regulated by the Department of Internal Affairs.
Reference sources
- Lotto NZ (MyLotto) — official site, rules, divisions and prizes
- Safer Gambling Aotearoa — How Lotto works (matrix and odds)
- Powerball.net — NZ Powerball divisions and odds
- Stuff — Powerball odds get longer as Lotto NZ adds four more balls (Division 8, m cap)
- NZ Herald — Powerball overhaul: new Division 8, 1 to 14 balls
- Wikipedia — Lotto New Zealand (divisions, Strike, bonus ball)
- Safer Gambling Aotearoa
- Gambling Helpline New Zealand
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum number of matches to win a prize?
Three of the six main numbers on the same line. That wins Division 7, which pays a small set prize (typically free tickets for the next draw). If you also played Powerball, the smallest Powerball prize is the new Division 8, which pays a fixed $12 for two main numbers plus the bonus ball and the Powerball.
What do I win for matching three, four or five numbers?
Three main numbers wins Division 7 (usually free tickets), or Division 6 with the bonus ball. Four wins Division 5, or Division 4 with the bonus ball. Five wins Division 3, or Division 2 with the bonus ball. The bonus-ball tiers pay a higher, pari-mutuel amount that varies by draw.
Does the bonus ball help win Division 1?
No. Division 1 needs all six main numbers, full stop. The bonus ball only lifts you into Divisions 2, 4 or 6 — match five main numbers plus the bonus ball and you have won Division 2, not the jackpot.
How many numbers do I need for the Powerball jackpot?
All six main numbers plus the correct Powerball on the same line. Since 13 September 2026 the Powerball is drawn from 14 balls, so the odds are about 1 in 53.7 million per line (1 in 53,737,320).
What if I match only the Powerball?
Nothing on its own. You need a qualifying main-number match as well; the smallest Powerball prize is Division 8, which requires two main numbers plus the bonus ball alongside the Powerball.
Are Lotto winnings taxed?
No. Prizes from official Lotto NZ games are tax-free, so the amount allocated to your division is the amount you receive. This is general information, not tax advice.
