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Westland is New Zealand’s ‘luckiest’ region for 2015

14 January 2016

Westland is New Zealand’s ‘luckiest’ region for 2015


The West Coast of New Zealand used to be known for gold mining and it appears there’s still a lot of gold to be found there. Westland has just been announced as the luckiest region in New Zealand for lottery wins in 2015.

With an estimated population of 8,640, Westland was boosted into the top spot after a ticket sold in Hokitika won $6.5 million with Powerball in January 2015. It was a family syndicate ticket that snapped up the big prize and ensured an exciting year ahead for the winners.

“As long as family is happy and healthy, that’s the main thing,” the Hokitika winner said at the time.

“It’s quite a bit of money – so this will help everyone set themselves up. It’s a really good feeling to be able to help family.”

Lotto luck is obviously trending in the South Island, as Westland have snatched the luckiest region title from their east coast neighbours Kaikoura, which was the luckiest spot in 2014.

2015 was a particularly competitive year, with the Powerball First Division jackpot being won a record number of times. Some people may regard the number 13 as unlucky, but there was nothing unlucky for 13 New Zealanders who each scooped the top Powerball prize during the year.

On average, Westland locals won $799.10 per capita, which is almost double the amount per capita of the second luckiest region.

Coming in at second is Rotorua, which is not surprising considering the largest win of 2015 was scooped by a ticket bought locally. The life-changing prize of $24.3 million was won in June last year by a Rotorua family who all continued working and planned to keep their lives as normal as possible.

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“We had no idea our ticket had all six Lotto numbers and the matching Powerball number,” said the Rotorua winner at the time.

“I called the family to tell them and my wife and kids were screaming and jumping up and down in the background.”

And the most talked about Lotto story this Christmas boosted Porirua’s lucky standing, making it the third luckiest spot in New Zealand in 2015.

In December a Porirua man won $15 million and gifted half of it to his best mate.

“I really wanted to surprise him, so I handed him a photocopy of my winning ticket and the slip of paper with $15 million printed on it,” the Porirua winner said at the time.

‘‘He looked at the paper, then at me with his mouth hanging open, pointing at the piece of paper. I just gave him the thumbs up and said, ‘I won the big one and half of it’s yours.’”

Add to that the Lotto First Division prize of $1 million won by a Porirua family just a couple of months earlier, and it has definitely been a lucky year for the region

Rounding out the top 10 spots are Thames-Coromandel, Franklin Ward, Hastings, Tauranga, Nelson, Palmerston North, and Lower Hutt.

Each of these regions enjoyed a First Division win with either Powerball or Big Wednesday. In fact, a couple won $7.5 million with Powerball on 30 December with a ticket bought in Lower Hutt. This big win at the eleventh hour boosted Lower Hutt into eighth place in the list of the top 10 luckiest spots.

“Winning this amazing prize means we can be Santa’s helpers for the rest of our lives and who wouldn’t want that amazing privilege,” the Lower Hutt winner said.

Over $395 million in prizes were won in 2015 with Lotto and Big Wednesday, with a total of 164 First Division prizes won by players around the country.

Lotto New Zealand also transferred $198.6 million to the NZ Lottery Grants Board, which is used to fund arts, sporting and community organisations and projects throughout New Zealand.

As for which Lotto store was the ‘luckiest’ for 2015 – Greerton Lotto in Tauranga sold not one but two Powerball First Division tickets during the year, as well as a Lotto First Division winning ticket, which came to a total of $10 million in First Division prizes won from the store.

While 2016 is only two weeks’ old it’s already shaping up to be a lucky one for Lotto players, with a Timaru family collecting $7 million with Powerball First Division on Saturday. The winners plan to use their winnings to follow the Rugby Sevens 2016 World Series tournament.

ENDS

© Scoop Media

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