Lotto NZ shares tips on how to beat the rush and secure a ticket for this weekend's $50 million jackpot draw

The numbers didn't match up for anyone last night, meaning the Lotto Powerball hit a staggering $50 million.

Due to the rules of the Lotto New Zealand game, the jackpot must be won this weekend.

If no ticket wins the top division of Powerball, the poll will filter down to the next winner in the top division.

Lotto NZ is yet to reveal the exact number of tickets sold for Wednesday's draw, but Saturday's “must win” match is likely to push demand to record levels.

“We know this is an exciting time for New Zealanders across the country, and we're definitely seeing more people joining the game to draw to win,” Lotto NZ Corporate Communications Manager Lucy Fullarton said.

Fullarton urged New Zealanders to play responsibly and avoid delaying ticket purchases until the last minute.

“We know stores will be busy starting mid-afternoon Saturday,” Fullarton said. “We also expect the last hour before sales close at 7.30pm to be particularly busy online. Our best advice for anyone wanting to purchase a ticket is to arrive early and avoid these peak periods.

The last time the Powerball Lotto reached $50 million was in 2020, when it topped that mark twice.

In February 2020, two players split the prize pool, while in August, 10 lucky Kiwis split the money and each won $5 million.

The largest profit from a single ticket was $44 million in November 2016.