Three Players Share Record $55 Million Powerball Prize

Three lucky Powerball players will be over the moon after each winning $18.3 million with Powerball First Division in tonight’s record $55 million Must Be Won draw.

Each prize is made up of $18,333,333 million from Powerball First Division and $55,556 from Lotto First Division, making a total prize of $18,388,889.

“What a fantastic result. It’s great to see the Powerball jackpot being shared among a number of players,” says Lotto NZ CEO Jason Delamore.

“A win like this doesn’t just change one life – it can transform families, friends, and even entire communities. Our winners often give back in incredible ways, from helping loved ones to supporting charities. The impact of this win will reach far beyond the individual winners,” he says.

Fifteen other lucky Lotto players will also be celebrating after winning a $55,556 share of Lotto First Division.

Sixty-two Lotto players have also won $16,909 with Lotto Second Division.

Strike Four has rolled over tonight and will be $400,000 on Wednesday.

“Lotto NZ exists to make a difference for Kiwi communities – that’s what drives us every day. 100% of our profits go back into supporting communities, and every ticket sold contributes towards that. So a huge thank you to everyone who played in tonight’s draw – you’re helping thousands of good causes make a difference across Aotearoa,” says Delamore.

Tonight’s big winners should phone Lotto NZ’s Customer Support team on 0800 695 6886 to ensure they receive the support they’ll need throughout this life-changing experience.

Notes:

• In a Must Be Won draw, if there are no Powerball First Division winners the entire jackpot rolls down to the next Powerball division where there are winners. If there is more than one winner in that Powerball prize division, then the prize is shared equally between all the winners.
• Once the Powerball Division 1 prize pool reaches $50million, the game cannot jackpot over to another draw, so it becomes a Must Be Won (MBW) draw.
• The Powerball Division 1 prize pool accumulates as a set percentage of ticket sales, and stronger sales means the pool grows more quickly. Lotto NZ forecasts sales and the prize pool, setting the advertised jackpot for each draw accordingly.
• For tonight’s draw, we forecasted strong sales, resulting in a Powerball Division 1 prize pool of $55 million.
• This doesn't happen often. The most recent time was in 2016 when the maximum jackpot threshold was $40 million and the advertised Powerball Division 1 prize pool was $44 million MBW.
• Lotto NZ guarantees the jackpot amount for all games and every draw – we always pay the advertised amount, even if there is a shortfall due to lower than anticipated ticket sales.

A history of Lotto NZ Must Be Won winners:

Powerball wins in 2025:

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