New Zealanders are dreaming big ahead of tonight’s Lotto Powerball draw, with the jackpot surging to $30 million this Saturday.
The prize pool ballooned after the jackpot wasn’t struck on Wednesday night and is the highest jackpot since October last year.
Lotto stores and the Lotto app have seen a surge in interest as the draw approaches.
Lotto NZ corporate communications manager Sarah McCormack said people who don’t usually play at lower jackpots grab a ticket as the jackpot climbs to higher levels.
“We’re expecting around 1.25 million tickets to be sold for this Saturday’s $30 million draw.”
But, despite that, the odds of a win remain slim.
To take home the jackpot, players must match all six main Lotto numbers plus the Powerball, at odds of just 1 in 38,383,800.
McCormack said it was important to remember that big jackpots still have small odds.
“Even though the jackpot is high, the odds still remain the same, so spend only a little – it takes only one ticket to win.”
A large prize does not change the nature of the draw, which is based entirely on chance, Lotto NZ said on its website.
“Powerball always offers you the same one in 38.3 million chance to win First Division per line, regardless of the jackpot amount.”
The growing prize pot may attract more players, but this won’t impact your chances.
“No, your chances of winning stay the same regardless of how many times you’ve lost or won in the past,” according to Lotto.
Frequent play does not have any effect on your odds, and buying multiple tickets creates an extremely marginal increase, Lotto said
“Even if you buy multiple tickets for the same draw, your chances of winning will hardly increase at all. Because each new ticket has the same odds, there is no way that winning can average out in your favour over time.”
Similarly, having a “near miss” where most of your numbers match does not mean you are in for a win in future draws.
“Each outcome is independent and will not impact your chances of winning or losing in the future. Although a near win might feel like you’re getting closer to a big prize, you will still have the same odds next time you play,” Lotto tells players.
The $30 million draw takes place tonight at 8pm on TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+.
