On a Saturday night in New Zealand, a lottery era quietly closed — the final 10-ball Powerball draw produced no outright winner, and so a $10 million jackpot descended instead to two ordinary families, one in Richmond and one in Wellington, each receiving $5 million. It is a reminder that fortune rarely arrives as expected, and that the end of one chapter — for a game, for a family's circumstances — often begins without fanfare.
Two families win $5m each as Powerball rolls down in final 10-ball draw
It was such a shock, all I could say was 'what the heck?'
Mark
So two families each won $5 million because nobody won the big prize. How does that actually work?
Mimi
The lottery had a $10 million must-be-won draw. When nobody hit Division 1, that money rolled down to the second division winners instead of staying in the pool. Two families had winning tickets in that division, so they split it.
Luke
And we know for certain nobody won Division 1? That's a pretty significant claim.
Mimi
That's what the draw results showed. No Division 1 winner that night.
Mark
The Richmond family got $5.01 million plus another $13,000-odd. Why the extra?
Mimi
They also won Lotto second division separately. The $5 million came from Powerball rolling down, but they had a second winning ticket in the regular Lotto draw.
Luke
So technically they won more than the Wellington family?
Mimi
Yes, by about $13,000. Though both families are calling it a $5 million win in their own minds.
Mark
What struck you most about how they reacted?
Mimi
The disbelief. The Richmond daughter didn't believe her father until she saw it herself. The Wellington husband had doubts even after hearing the winning sound. It's almost too big to accept immediately.
Luke
Did either family say what they'd actually do with the money?
Mimi
The Richmond family mentioned mortgages and new homes as possibilities. The Wellington couple said they need time to figure it out. No firm plans yet from either.
Mark
And this was the last 10-ball draw?
Mimi
The final one before the lottery moves to 14 balls. These two families are the last winners of that format.
The Pulse
- A $10 million must-be-won Powerball jackpot found no Division 1 winner, forcing the prize to roll down and split between two second-division ticket holders.
- The Richmond family erupted in disbelief and shrieking when a daughter grabbed the phone to disprove her father — and couldn't.
- The Wellington couple spent a sleepless night piecing together what had happened online, struggling to accept a win that didn't look like one.
- Both families are sitting with the weight of sudden wealth — mortgages, new homes, and unanswered questions still circling.
- Behind the personal stories, a structural shift is underway: New Zealand's lottery moves to a 14-ball format, closing the 10-ball era for good.
On a Saturday night in New Zealand, a lottery era quietly closed — the final 10-ball Powerball draw produced no outright winner, and so a $10 million jackpot descended instead to two ordinary families, one in Richmond and one in Wellington, each receiving $5 million. It is a reminder that fortune rarely arrives as expected, and that the end of one chapter — for a game, for a family's circumstances — often begins without fanfare.
On Saturday night, New Zealand's Lotto ran its final 10-ball Powerball draw — and nobody claimed the top prize. The $10 million jackpot rolled down to second division, splitting evenly between two families: one from Richmond near Nelson, one from Wellington, each walking away with $5 million.
The Richmond family found out first. The father checked the ticket and quietly told his daughter what he thought he'd seen. She was unconvinced — "Nah, it'll only be $5000 or something" — and took the phone to check herself. The numbers were real. "There was a lot of shrieking when we all realised," the mother said. Their total came to just over $5.01 million from Powerball, plus an additional $13,353 from Lotto second division. Talk of mortgages, new homes, and a family gathering followed almost immediately.
The Wellington family's moment came a day later. The husband was on the sofa when the winning notification sound played on his phone. He looked at his wife and said, "Oh my god, we won." She was skeptical — they hadn't matched all six Lotto numbers, so how could it be? They searched online until the picture became clear: the jackpot had rolled down, and they were one of only two families to catch it. Sleep didn't come that night. Days on, the reality still hadn't fully landed. "It still doesn't feel real," he said.
With their wins confirmed, these two families became the last to claim a prize in the 10-ball Powerball era. The next draw will use 14 balls — a quiet but definitive turn of the page in New Zealand lottery history.
On Saturday night, New Zealand's Lotto drew its final 10-ball Powerball game before shifting to a new 14-ball format. Nobody won the Division 1 jackpot. The $10 million that had to be won rolled down instead to the second division, where it split evenly between two families—one from Richmond near Nelson, the other from Wellington—each taking home $5 million.
The Richmond family, a couple with adult children, discovered their win first. The father checked the ticket and told his daughter what he thought he'd found. She didn't believe him. "She said, 'Nah it'll only be $5000 or something, give me a look,' and took the phone from me," he recalled. When the family confirmed the numbers were real, the reaction was immediate and loud. "There was a lot of shrieking when we all realised it was real," the mother said. Their actual haul came to $5.01 million from Powerball first and second division, plus another $13,353 from Lotto second division. They spoke of gathering the extended family soon to celebrate and make plans. Mortgages and new homes were already on their minds as possibilities for the money.
The Wellington family's discovery came a day later, on Sunday evening. The husband was sitting on the sofa when he checked their ticket and heard the winning notification sound. "When I heard the winning music, I looked at my wife and said, 'Oh my god, we won'," he said. His wife's first instinct was skepticism—they hadn't matched all six Lotto numbers, so the win seemed impossible. The husband shared her doubt. They searched online and pieced together what had happened: the jackpot had rolled down, and they were one of only two winners. "It was such a shock, all I could say was 'what the heck?'" he said. That night, sleep didn't come easily. Days later, the reality still hadn't fully settled. "We're going to take some time to figure it all out. It still doesn't feel real," he said. They had not yet decided how to use the money.
These two families became the last winners of the 10-ball Powerball era. When the next draw happens, the game will move to 14 balls, marking the end of an era in New Zealand's lottery history.
Notable Quotes
There was a lot of shrieking when we all realised it was real— Richmond family mother
We're going to take some time to figure it all out. It still doesn't feel real— Wellington family father
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