Lotto Overview

The New Zealand Lotto is a well-known lottery game available to individuals in New Zealand. It provides an opportunity for players to participate in a game of chance.

Draw Schedule

Draws are held twice a week, specifically on Wednesdays at 20:20 local time and Saturdays at 20:00. You can find more information at Lotto Results.

Gameplay

To participate, players need to select six numbers from a range of 1 to 40. Additionally, there is a Lucky Dip option available, where random numbers are generated for you. Lucky Dip offers sets of 4, 8, 12, 16, or 20 lines.

Check out the different Lotto NZ games to find out the one you like the most.

Jackpot Details

The basic Lotto jackpot starts at NZD 1 million and can reach up to NZD 4 million if a matching Powerball number is obtained. Through rollovers, the jackpot can grow even further, potentially reaching as high as NZD 50 million.

Odds and Prizes

The odds of winning the Lotto jackpot by matching all six numbers are 1 in 3,838,380. Apart from the jackpot, there are multiple prize tiers, and by matching the Powerball, players have a chance to win even larger prizes.

The New Zealand Lotto offers various prize categories based on the numbers matched. There are eight categories in total:

The highest prize category requires matching all six numbers plus the Bonus Ball. The winning odds and exact details of this category are undisclosed.
In category 2, players have a 1 in 3,838,380 chance of matching all six main numbers, offering a very low winning odds percentage of 0.00003.
Category 3 involves matching five main numbers plus the Bonus Ball, with winning odds of 1 in 639,730 and a winning odds percentage of 0.0001.
For category 4, players have a 1 in 19,386 chance of matching five main numbers without the Bonus Ball, resulting in a winning odds percentage of 0.005.
In category 5, players need to match four main numbers plus the Bonus Ball, with winning odds of 1 in 7,754 and a winning odds percentage of 0.01.
Category 6 requires matching four main numbers without the Bonus Ball, offering winning odds of 1 in 485 and a winning odds percentage of 0.2.
For category 7, players need to match three main numbers plus the Bonus Ball, with winning odds of 1 in 363 and a winning odds percentage of 0.27.
Lastly, category 8 involves matching three main numbers without the Bonus Ball, offering winning odds of 1 in 35 and a winning odds percentage of 2.86.

Payouts and Taxation

Winners have a period of one year to claim their prizes, which are exclusively paid out as lump sums.

In New Zealand, lottery prizes are exempt from taxes. However, international players should familiarise themselves with their local tax regulations to determine if they need to declare their winnings at home.

Eligibility to Play Lotto

To participate in Lotto, players must be at least 18 years old.

Lotto tickets can be obtained from authorised lottery retailers located throughout New Zealand. Alternatively, players can conveniently purchase tickets online through the official Lotto NZ website or mobile app.

Overseas players have the option to enter Lotto through Lottery Agent websites. Please check before playing that you are entering the right game.

Lotto's Historical Background

The inaugural Lotto draw took place on August 1, 1987, initially occurring once a week until the addition of the Wednesday draw in 2015.

In April 1993, Strike was introduced as an additional game, followed by the introduction of Powerball in February 2001. The New Zealand Lotteries Commission oversees all lottery games in the country.