Working out how much a Lotto ticket costs in New Zealand is simple once you know a few fixed numbers. From there, you can build a ticket to any budget.
This guide covers the per-line prices across all the games, how Dip bundles are priced, the four-line minimum, and roughly what Instant Kiwi scratch cards cost. For Powerball specifically, see our dedicated guide to Powerball ticket prices.
The building blocks
Every Lotto NZ ticket is made from the same simple units.
A single line of standard Lotto costs $0.70. To play for the big jackpots, you add a Powerball number, which costs an extra $0.80 per line — so a combined Lotto + Powerball line is $1.50. Strike is a separate game at $1.00 per line.
Every ticket is built from these units. Same prices in store and on MyLotto.What each part of a ticket costs
Component Price per line Rule Lotto line $0.70 Minimum 4 lines on a custom coupon Powerball add-on $0.80 Attaches to a Lotto line; can’t be bought alone Lotto + Powerball $1.50 One combined line (0.70 + 0.80) Strike $1.00 Optional; can be played on its own
(Insert the “What each part of a ticket costs” HTML element here.)
One rule catches people out: you can’t buy a Powerball number on its own. It always attaches to a Lotto line. Strike, on the other hand, can be played on its own since 2017.
The four-line minimum
When you choose your own numbers on a coupon, Lotto NZ requires a minimum of four lines. You can’t buy a single line.
So the cheapest custom Lotto ticket is four lines at $0.70, which is $2.80. Add Powerball to all four and the minimum becomes $6.00. To fill out a coupon: pick six numbers from 1 to 40 for each row, add a Powerball number (1 to 10) for each row you want it on, and complete at least four rows.
Dip bundles
If you’d rather not choose numbers — handy when you’re beating the 7:30 pm cut-off — a Dip lets the terminal pick at random. A Dip has exactly the same odds as a hand-picked ticket; it’s just faster. The pricing is really just multiplication.
A Dip is a random, computer-picked ticket — same odds as choosing your own.How Dip pricing works
(Insert the “How Dip pricing works” HTML element here.)
A Lucky Dip is Lotto lines only — the cheapest is $5.60 for eight lines. A Power Dip puts Lotto + Powerball on every line, so it’s the line count times $1.50 (an eight-line Power Dip is $12.00). A Triple Dip adds Strike, covering all three games; the largest runs to $28.00 for 18 Lotto lines, 18 Powerball lines and one Strike line. Exact Dip sizes shift from time to time, so check the current options on MyLotto or at the counter.
Instant Kiwi scratch cards
Instant Kiwi is the scratch-card side of Lotto NZ, giving an immediate result rather than a Wednesday or Saturday draw. Ticket prices range from around $1 up to about $30, and generally the higher the ticket price, the larger the top prize on offer.
Because the games and prizes change regularly, the current line-up and prices are best checked on MyLotto or in store. Our Instant Kiwi guide covers how the games work in more detail.
In store or online: the price is the same
A common worry is that buying on the MyLotto app adds a fee. It doesn’t. A $12.00 Power Dip is $12.00 whether you buy it at a dairy or in the app, with no booking fee or surcharge — the advertised price is the total price.
What differs is how you pay and how spending is managed. In store, you pay by cash or EFTPOS with no account. Online, you top up a MyLotto wallet: the minimum top-up is $1, single top-ups are capped at $150, and there’s a rolling seven-day spend limit of $150 across all Lotto NZ games. You can set your own limit lower, but not higher. Our Lotto online page explains how MyLotto accounts work.
Multi-draw: entering several draws at once
If you play the same numbers regularly, a multi-draw ticket enters them into a run of consecutive draws so you don’t have to buy twice a week. You can enter the same numbers into up to 10 consecutive draws.
There’s no bulk discount — the cost is simply your ticket price multiplied by the number of draws. A $12.00 Power Dip across four draws is $48.00.
A short history of the price
Lotto launched in New Zealand in August 1987, and the price has moved only a handful of times since.
Only a handful of changes since 1987.How the Lotto line price has changed
(Insert the “How the Lotto line price has changed” HTML element here.)
A standard line started at $0.50, rose to $0.60 in August 2004, and reached its current $0.70 in April 2017 — the same update that set Powerball at $0.80 and made Strike playable on its own. Those prices still apply today. Worth noting for anyone tracking the news: the 13 September 2026 Powerball changes (four extra Powerballs, a new Division 8, a higher jackpot cap) do not change the price to play — see our Powerball ticket prices guide for the detail.
Where your money goes
Lotto NZ is a state-owned organisation, not a private company, and it returns 100% of its profit to the community through the New Zealand Lottery Grants Board.
Across a full year, roughly 54% of sales go back to players as prizes, about 25% to the Grants Board, 12% to taxes, duties and levies, 5% to operating costs, and 4% to retailer commissions and MyLotto fees (based on Lotto NZ’s 2024 figures, rounded). None of the surplus goes to private shareholders. It’s a genuine feature of the model — but not, on its own, a reason to buy a ticket.
Keeping spending in proportion
Because lines come in small dollar amounts, the running total is easy to miss. Fifteen dollars each on Wednesday and Saturday feels minor in the moment, but across a year that’s over $1,500.
A few habits keep it in check: set a weekly amount before the jackpot is announced and keep it fixed; treat the cost like a coffee or a movie, money already spent for a bit of anticipation; don’t upgrade to bigger bundles just because a jackpot has rolled over; and never use money set aside for rent, bills or groceries. Online, the built-in spend limits can enforce a cap for you. A ticket is entertainment, not an investment or a way out of financial pressure.
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 spending more or buying larger bundles does not improve your odds. Prices, Dip options, prize thresholds 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.
Sources used to research and fact-check this article. Last checked 13 August 2026.Reference sources
(Insert the “Reference sources” HTML element here — this is the only place source links appear.)
FAQ
How much is a single line of Lotto with Powerball?
A Lotto line is $0.70 and adding Powerball costs an extra $0.80, so a combined line is $1.50. On a custom coupon, remember the four-line minimum applies.
What’s the cheapest Lotto ticket I can buy?
$2.80 for a four-line Lotto-only coupon. The cheapest ticket that includes Powerball is $6.00 (four combined lines), and the cheapest random Dip is the $5.60 Basic Lucky Dip (eight Lotto lines).
Can I buy just one line of Lotto?
No. Custom coupons require a minimum of four lines ($2.80), and the smallest random option is the eight-line Lucky Dip ($5.60).
Is a ticket more expensive on the MyLotto app than in store?
No. Prices are identical across every official channel, with no booking fee or surcharge. Only the payment method and spending controls differ.
How much does Strike cost?
Strike is $1.00 per line and can be added to a ticket or played on its own. To win the top Strike prize you match the first four main balls in the exact order drawn.
How much does an Instant Kiwi scratch card cost?
Instant Kiwi tickets range from around $1 to about $30, with higher-priced tickets generally offering larger top prizes. Current games and prices are listed on MyLotto and in store.
Do Lotto ticket prices include any fees?
The advertised price is the total price. There are no extra transaction fees or surcharges added at the counter or online.
