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A Christchurch man’s snap decision during his grocery shop to buy a Lotto ticket for the first time in 10 years saw his family scoop $18.3m in Saturday’s must-win draw. 

The man plans to use the winnings to buy his family’s first home, help relatives with their mortgages, and ”do a little shopping" in upcoming sales. 

Within an hour of the numbers being drawn for the must-win record $55m bonanza, the man said he was on the phone to Lotto customer support to check the official results. 

“I wanted to make sure what I was seeing was right,” he said. 

Those who buy tickets for every draw in the hope of winning big will no doubt baulk at the man’s luck. 

“We were doing the usual grocery shop and as we were walking in, I saw the queue to buy tickets – that’s when I remembered the big draw. It’s been so long since I bought a ticket that I had to ask the operator which ticket I needed,” he said. 

“This was the first ticket I’ve bought in maybe ten years,” he said. 

The man said his family tucked the winning ticket inside a book for safekeeping. 

“This win opens up a whole new world of opportunities for me and my family. 

“It means my parents can finally retire - they have worked so hard to give us a good life – and that’s going to feel very special. 

“It means I can give my children every opportunity to be the best they can be, with some of that everyday financial stress lifted,” he said. 

Saturday’s prize pool was the largest in Lotto’s history - split between three lucky winners who each pocketed $18.3m. 

The numbers in the Saturday night draw were 38, 28, 2, 5, 14, 19. The bonus was 29 and Powerball was 6. 

Lotto confirmed the winning tickets were sold at New World Kawerau in the Bay of Plenty, Pak’nSave Moorhouse in Christchurch, and through the MyLotto app to an Auckland punter. 

Fifteen other Lotto players also scooped substantial prizes, taking home $55,556 each from Lotto First Division. 

Those winning tickets were sold at the following stores: Four Square Coopers Beach; Auckland’s Rathgar Rd Discount Foodmarket and Rocky’s Superette; Pak’nSave Thames; Fresh Choice Ngāruawāhia; Hamilton’s Nourish Pantry; Pak’nSave Napier City; Pak’nSave Tamatea; Fresh Choice Geraldine; and Fresh Choice Roxburgh 

What to do if you win 

Ticket holders can see immediately if they have won if they purchased a ticket through MyLotto. Prizes of $1000 or less are automatically credited to the account. 

For prizes exceeding $1000, winners must complete an online prize claim form. 

Winners with a physical ticket must still visit a Lotto retailer to claim their prize. 

For the Powerball jackpot to be claimed, a ticket holder must get all six Lotto numbers correct as well as the added Powerball number. 

Top 5 Lotto wins of all time: 

• $44.06 million – Auckland, 2016 
• $42.02 million – Waikato, 2021 
• $37.12 million – Wellington, 2023 
• $33.05 million – Christchurch, 2023 
• $33.01 million – Auckland, 2013