$28 million up for grabs: Where are New Zealand's luckiest Lotto stores?

Tuesday, 8 October 2019

Where are you heading to buy your 'lucky' Lotto ticket? (File photo).

With $28 million up for grabs with Lotto this Wednesday, Kiwi punters are likely hoping to get their hands on the lucky winning ticket.

But which of the country's stores have the most luck?

According to Lotto, Unichem Stortford Lodge Pharmacy in Hastings has long held the title as New Zealand's 'luckiest' Lotto store.

The store has sold 49 first division winning tickets over the years, including an $11m powerball win in March this year.

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A winning $22.3 million ticket was once sold at this Taranaki store. (File photo).

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Store manager Carole Ormond said that people definitely knew it was a lucky store, and went out of their way to buy their ticket from there.

A Lotto ticket sold in Taranaki has won $22.3 million dollars in a January, 2018, Powerball draw.

'We've certainly noticed an increase in people coming in the last few weeks and we're bracing ourselves for tomorrow ahead of the big draw.'

The second and third 'luckiest stores' reside in the South Island.

Richmond Night N' Day in Nelson and Pak N' Save Riccarton in Christchurch have each sold 34 and 32 first division winning tickets, respectively.

Richmond store owner David Smolenski said the store had become a 'bit of a destination'.

'We often get people who are on holiday from other parts of the country or business trips come in and get their ticket. They hope that our previous good luck will rub off on them too.'

'It would be pretty magical if someone who bought their ticket from our store won the big prize,' he said.

So far this year there have been big powerball wins in Taranaki, Feilding, Auckland, Christchurch, Hastings, Taipa, Hamilton and Wellsford. 'So there's been luck all over the country,' says Lotto's Kirsten Robinson said.

Wednesday's big jackpot is $28m - the highest its been since late 2017.

Only four players have ever won a prize over $28m.