'What the heck': Two families shriek, lose sleep after $5m Powerball wins

<a href="https://www.1news.co.nz/2026/09/13/two-winners-split-10-million-must-be-won-lotto-prize/">Two families</a> from Wellington and Richmond have spoken of their disbelief after winning $5 million each from Lotto's $10 million <a href="https://www.1news.co.nz/2026/09/10/lotto-announces-10m-jackpot-must-be-won-before-major-draw-changes/">must be won draw</a>. Nobody struck the Division 1 jackpot on Saturday night — the final one to include 10 balls before moving to the <a href="https://www.1news.co.nz/2026/08/28/lottos-top-prize-to-hit-60m-but-its-never-been-harder-to-win/">new 14-ball format</a> — therefore the jackpot rolled down to second division and was shared between the families. The first to claim their $5.01 million from Powerball first and second division — including another $13,353 from Lotto second division — was a family syndicate from Richmond, near Nelson. The couple said they first told their adult daughter, who didn't believe them. "She said, 'Nah it’ll only be $5000 or something, give me a look,' and took the phone from me," said the dad. "There was a lot of shrieking when we all realised it was real," said the mum.