Saturday's $50m draw is the highest equal jackpot in New Zealand's history. Photo: RNZ/Asia King
Lotto's jackpot has reached $50 million and it must be won this Saturday.
Once the jackpot reaches that mark, under the game rules it cannot be rolled again and a 'must be won' draw is called.
It has been four years since Lotto NZ has had a jackpot this high.
Wednesday night's $43m prize was not struck, and Saturday's $50m draw will be the highest equal jackpot in New Zealand's history.
"Once the jackpot reaches $50 million under our game rules it can't roll again and we have to call a 'must be won' draw" - Lucy Fullarton
Lotto NZ's head of corporate communications Lucy Fullarton told Morning Report that because it is a 'must be won' draw, there was a reasonable chance that the prize money would be shared among people in lower divisions.
Fullarton stressed that your chances of winning remained relatively low.
With the prize money so high, more people tend to buy tickets to enter the draw, and this is something Lotto NZ is aware of.
"We know that we've got a proportion of customers that buy tickets regularly, but actually, a much larger proportion only come into the draw at certain times, so when the jackpot gets to $20 million, $30 million or $40 million.
"We do see at these levels a lot of people who would never normally buy a ticket, and don't even think about Lotto, they might see it in the news and think 'oh, I'll pick one up'."
If you are lucky enough to win the big prize, Fullarton said it was a good idea to keep the news to yourself and to give Lotto a call.