118 New Zealand Lotto Players Share $1.5M Strike Prize

Imagine checking your lottery ticket expecting nothing and discovering you've won more than $13,000.

That's exactly what happened to 118 lucky New Zealanders this weekend when Lotto's $1.5 million "must be won" Strike prize got divided among every player who matched part of the winning sequence. Each winner walked away with $13,457, a life-changing amount for many families.

The Strike game requires players to predict the first four numbers drawn in exact order. When nobody hits all four correctly on a "must be won" draw, the prize pool gets shared among those who came closest.

Saturday's winning numbers were 22, 31, 33, 23, 11, and 36, with bonus ball 24 and Powerball 9. While the $4 million Powerball jackpot rolled over to Wednesday's $5 million draw, three separate players did win $333,000 each with Lotto First Division.

Those winning tickets were sold at Whitcoulls in New Plymouth, Miramar Lotto and Gift Shop in Wellington, and Pak'nSave Moorhouse in Christchurch. The winners are now deciding how to use their unexpected windfalls.

The Ripple Effect

While $1.5 million to one person makes headlines, spreading that same amount across 118 households creates 118 different stories of relief and joy. For some, it might mean catching up on bills or fixing a car. For others, it could fund a family vacation they've postponed for years or kickstart a small savings account.

The timing feels especially meaningful as families across New Zealand navigate the start of a new year with its back-to-school expenses and summer holiday costs. That $13,457 can cover months of groceries, a hefty chunk of rent, or provide breathing room many households desperately need.

New Zealand has seen some impressive lottery wins recently. Just last month, a Manawatū-Whanganui player won $10.2 million with Powerball First Division, while an Auckland player celebrated $5.5 million in December.

This weekend's shared prize proves that sometimes the best news isn't about one person winning big, but about many people winning just enough to make a real difference.