A massive $34 million is up for grabs in Wednesday's Powerball draw - and if a single person wins big, it'll be the second-largest Powerball prize since the game's beginning in 2001.
The largest-ever Powerball prize of $44.1 million was taken home by a young Hibiscus Coast couple in November 2016. Recently the jackpots have been shared between multiple winners.
In 2020 alone 28 Kiwis have been made millionaires - and seven of those were lucky enough to become multi-millionaires.
Marie Winfield, Lotto's head of communications, says the $34 million prize will likely help more than just the person who wins it.
"Winning Powerball has a huge ripple effect - so many people benefit from that one little yellow ticket, the win is felt right throughout their communities," she says.
Winfield says after people pay off their mortgages or buy property, the next most common theme is helping out friends and family or donating to charity.
One Paeroa man who won a whopping $333,333 in 2019 says giving back to his community was "a great feeling".
As well as putting together packages for the women's shelter he paid the rugby fees of a local and helped out people with their groceries.
"I made up ten envelopes, each with $200 in, and gave them to the employees at the Four Square. They know the community well so I asked them to give them to the families who needed it most."
While New Zealanders all over the country will be dreaming of what they would do with $34 million, Winfield says it's crucial they get in early to grab a ticket.
"We know stores are going to be busy, so we encourage players to get in early to grab their ticket and avoid the queues."
