Powerball NZ

Powerball is a unique lottery game played in New Zealand. This version of Powerball is different to other lotteries because it offers huge jackpots, as well as being an add-on to the main New Zealand Lotto game.

Powerball draws take place twice weekly on Wednesdays at 20:20 local time and on Saturdays at 20:00 local time.

Powerball entry costs NZD $0.80 per line.

A minimum of four Lotto lines must be entered to play Powerball, with players then choosing a Powerball number between 1 and 10.

Players can also go for a Power Dip, with 8, 10, 12 or 16 lines entered as randomly generated Lotto and Powerball numbers.

If players win a regular-tier Lotto prize and match the Powerball, a far bigger prize awaits. Lotto has a fixed jackpot of NZD $1 million, with Powerball winners getting up to 50 times this amount.

Jackpot

Powerball has a guaranteed minimum jackpot of NZD $4 million.

While there is no rollover cap, the jackpot cap is currently set at NZD $50 million. Lotto NZ holds a “Must Be Won” draw when this cap is reached, and if no-one matches six numbers plus the Powerball, the prize rolls down the tiers. 

The biggest ever Powerball jackpots are:

• NZ $44 million on November 9, 2016.
• NZ $36 million on June 24, 2009.
• NZ $35.2 million on April 9, 2011.

Odds and Prizes

The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are 1 in 38,383,800.

Players can win Powerball prizes at seven different tiers.

Payout and Taxes

Players have one year from the date of the draw to claim prizes.

All Powerball winnings are paid out as lump sums, and all lottery prizes in New Zealand are tax free.

Overseas players should check local tax laws to see if they need to pay additional taxes at home.

Who Can Play Powerball?

Powerball players must be at least 18 years of age.

Powerball tickets are available from authorized lottery outlets across New Zealand, via the official website or on the official Lotto NZ app.

Overseas players can play Powerball online via selected Lottery Agent websites.

History of Powerball

Powerball was launched in February 2001, with players choosing from eight Powerball numbers. The choice of Powerball numbers expanded to 10 in October 2007, with the minimum and maximum jackpots growing significantly over time.