$9.5 Million Powerball Prize Claimed

An Auckland family have come forward to claim the ninth largest Powerball prize in New Zealand history, NZ Lotteries Chief Executive Todd McLeay said today.

The winners, who wish to remain anonymous, had no idea they had won until they checked their ticket against the results in the paper.

One of the winners said "I bought the paper and then checked my ticket in the car. I couldn't believe it when I saw we had won. I sat in my car in the car park for a couple of hours just trying to get my head around it. I still can't believe it."

The winners are confident the win will not change them. "We're going to keep working, we don't even know if we'll get a new car. We see this prize as enriching our lives, not changing them," said the winner.

The family have won a total prize of $9,559,404 million, with $9,198,114 from winning Powerball First Division and $361,290 from also winning Lotto First Division, which was shared with two other winners. The winning ticket was sold at Ponderosa Superette in Mangere, Auckland.

The largest Powerball prize ever won by an individual ticket was $18 million, which was won on a ticket sold in Kaeo in May this year.

Two of the winners of last night's other top prizes have also claimed their prizes today. The Lotto First Division prize of $361,290 won by a ticket sold at Willy Wonka in Auckland has been claimed, as has the $867,467 Strike Four winning ticket sold at Kuripuni Lotto & Postshop in Masterton.

The last Lotto First Division prize, sold at Silverstream Pharmacy in Upper Hutt, is yet to be claimed, as is the Winning Wheel ticket which was sold by Nawton Stationers & Lotto in Hamilton. The serial number is 355-57594664-20XX.

ENDS

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