It used to be considered a weekend pastime: spending time thinking up your lucky numbers, walking down to the local store, standing in line, and purchasing a lottery ticket from the friendly seller. All this seems to be coming to an end as more and more lottery fans are purchasing their tickets online.
A massive 72 physical stores that sell lottery tickets have closed in the last year alone. In the past week, two Woolworths Lotto kiosks in Aukland were forced to shut down – one in Grey Lynn and one in Ponsoby.
All is not yet lost, however, as there are apparently still 1,200 Lotto stores in bookstores, dairies, and supermarkets throughout New Zealand. Though, in our news blog, we usually talk about how new laws affect real money casinos, we have talked about the New Zealand lotto in the past - when they decided to make the digital leap.
A spokesperson for Woolworths said the supermarkets, not Lotto NZ, initiated the closure of the Lotto counters.
“Customer needs are always changing and in the last couple of years, there has been a distinct drop in customer demand for in-store Lotto,” the spokesperson said.
“In line with this, we have removed Lotto counters from a number of our stores in the last couple of years.”
Further commenting about the ongoing aftermath of Covid, Lotto NZ corporate communications head Lucy Fullarton said that there was a shift to online sales during that period. As a result, consumer needs changed and many clients never returned to in-store purchasing.
The change can clearly be seen in the raw data. Before COVID, only 22% of tickets were purchased online, and today, over 55% of clients purchase lottery tickets online.
Fullarton said of the 30 Woolworths store closures, “These closures have been for several different reasons, with some initiated by Lotto NZ and some initiated by Woolworths.”
“There is always an element of fluctuation in a large retail network like ours. We have also reviewed the network over the past two to three years to ensure we have the right number of stores located in the right places, following a big shift online during the pandemic.”
Fullarton continued to say that the famous yellow ticket would still remain an important part of New Zealand lottery culture in the long term, even if online ticket sales continue to rise.
“As we know, many customers still value that personal interaction and a physical ticket, and/or like to play across both channels,” she said.
A family syndicate from Wellington has claimed the largest Lotto Powerball jackpot of 2024, taking home an astounding $30 million. The lucky group, who play only when the jackpot exceeds $20 million, were stunned to discover their fortune.
"It was surreal, and we were all in shock, just looking at each other asking, 'What? How?'" said the man who purchased the winning ticket.
The winning numbers for the draw were 11, 14, 20, 31, 33, and 36, with a bonus ball of 26 and a Powerball of 2. According to the family, their participation in the lottery is sporadic, driven solely by high jackpots.
On the night of the win, after learning that the winning ticket was sold in Carterton, the father remained unconcerned until a surprising email notification from MyLotto indicated their win. Rather than checking the ticket alone, he gathered his family to experience the moment together.
"She told me she didn’t want to owe me anything," he chuckled, recounting how his daughter-in-law had immediately transferred their share of the ticket to him.
In addition to the jackpot, the family also won $166,667 from the Lotto First Division, marking a historic win for them and the nation this year. Despite the windfall, the family plans to maintain a modest lifestyle. "We’ve lived a modest life, and we don’t plan to change our lives drastically," he explained. Plans include home renovations, travel, and charitable donations.
"Everyone dreams of winning Powerball, and you think you know what you'll do, but it feels entirely different when it actually happens," the winner shared.
The family also plans to fulfill a wish made just before checking the ticket; purchasing a new king-sized bed as hoped for by the man's son if they won "a few thousand."
Initially believed to be from Carterton due to a mistake on their MyLotto account, the winners are confirmed to be Wellington residents. This year has seen 15 new millionaires from New Zealand Lotto, with Powerball struck four times. The family’s $30 million jackpot surpasses the previous record win of $17.25 million by a Canterbury resident earlier in the year.
Finding your next no deposit bonus at NZCasinoClub is as easy as finding hay in a hay-stack. We have 100’s of active bonuses!
If you’re looking for casino bonuses, you’ll find the best right here. We have 100’s to choose from - claim them while they last!
If a new online casino wants to survive, it needs a brilliant welcome bonus. We feature the best deals at NZ’s newest casinos.
It’s the news you’ve all been waiting for: NZCasinoClub’s list of the top real money casinos in New Zealand! Discover our exclusive bonuses.
Copyright © 2025 NZCasinoClub.com - All Rights Reserved.
Running on Pollux
