Two tickets had the winning numbers and will split Lotto's $50 million Powerball Jackpot.
Photo: Lotto
Both tickets were sold in Auckland and each winner will take home $25m.
Lotto's head of communications Maire Winfield said they sold a record number of tickets for the largest powerball jackpot in New Zealand history.
She said earlier in the evening 2.3 million tickets had been purchased, but she expected the figure would end up being closer to 2.5m.
At one stage around 2300 Lotto tickets were being sold each minute ahead of the big draw.
Lotto says its games are based on a large number of people spending a small amount of money for a small chance to win big.
The website, My Lotto, is struggling under the pressure of the huge numbers trying to check their tickets, she said.