Lotto jackpots to $40m tonight - how it stacks up to other big wins
New Zealand's Lotto Powerball jackpot has reached $40 million, marking one of the largest potential individual wins in the country's history. Officials have clarified that there is no statistical strategy to increase winning odds, as all number combinations remain equally likely.
Why it matters
Large lottery jackpots often drive significant public interest and consumer spending, while highlighting the role of chance in gambling.
Lotto Powerball <a href="https://www.1news.co.nz/2026/07/23/lotto-powerball-not-struck-rolls-over-to-40m/">rolled over</a> again this week – bringing tonight's jackpot to a staggering $40m. If a ticket holder wins that jackpot individually, it would rank third in the biggest Lotto NZ wins of all time. The biggest individual Lotto win in New Zealand was $44.06m and went to a winner from Auckland in 2016. In 2021, a Waikato player won $42.02m. The next three largest wins were $37.12m in Wellington in 2023, a $33.05m win in Christchurch the same year, and a $33.01m win in Auckland in 2013. The biggest overall jackpot was $55m in 2025, but three players <a href="https://www.1news.co.nz/2025/11/17/two-winners-claim-share-of-55m-lotto-powerball-prize/">each claimed</a> a share of it – which worked out to almost $18.4 million each. If a player does hit the jackpot this weekend, full information may not be available until the following day.
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