If you want to play online lottery games in New Zealand but don’t know where to start, you’ve come to the right place. This lotto online New Zealand guide gives you a comprehensive introduction.
From playing the national lottery online to enjoying an instant game or two at an online casino to playing international lotteries, we’ll show you how to select the best lotto sites to play on.
We look at the different ways Kiwis can buy lottery tickets online. We’ll also give you some hints and tips to maximise your chances, as well as some tips on how to play responsibly.
In this guide, you will find a whole host of useful information that will come in handy for your future online lotto games. Without further ado, let’s get started!
What is a lottery?
Lotteries have been popular around the world for centuries. A lottery is defined as a situation whose outcome is determined by chance. In gaming, lotteries are number-based games.
There is a pool of numbers, say from 1 to 50, and players buy tickets with a fixed set of those numbers, usually 6.
The winning ticket is the one whose numbers match a random draw of 6 numbers from that large pool.
Lotteries like this have been around for centuries. It is even said that the Great Wall of China was built with money raised from lotteries!
One of the oldest lotteries still running today is the Portuguese Loteria Nacional Santa Casa da Misericordia de Lisboa, which was first played in 1783.
Nowadays, it is even easier to participate because you can play lotto online.
The principle is still the same, whether you buy paper tickets in a store or virtual tickets online.
You select a series of numbers and wait for the lottery draw. Depending on the game, there can be different winning levels.
Usually, matching the full set of numbers on your ticket wins the jackpot, but smaller prizes are awarded for matching fewer numbers on your ticket.
How many numbers make a win?
In general, in New Zealand, if you want to win the New Zealand lottery, you have to pick 6 numbers ranging from 1 to 40.
There are different prizes to be won depending on how many numbers you match. To score the top prize, you must match all six numbers on one line.
As you match fewer numbers, the amount you win decreases, with only two numbers matching the lowest prize available.
However, depending on the game, these prizes vary in size, and you may need to match a larger minimum number of numbers to claim a prize.
For example, the NZ Powerball needs a minimum of 4 balls to match to claim a prize.
Where to find lotto results
One of the most important things to consider when playing lotto in New Zealand is where to find the winning numbers.
If you are entering one of the official New Zealand lotteries, you need to know this to claim any prize.
What’s really great is that in New Zealand, the big lottery is broadcast live every Saturday at about 8 p.m. and Wednesday at 8:20 p.m.
All you have to do is tune in to watch it, but if you’re busy, there’s a replay available via on-demand.
Of course, you may not even have access to a TV, as the MyLotto site has the results too. These results usually go live at about 9:15 pm on the day the lottery is drawn.
What’s even easier, though, is that if you buy a ticket through this site, or one of the other major NZ sites, you’ll likely get the winning numbers emailed to you.
This is even more likely if you have winning numbers, as the website will simply email you to notify you. If you bought a ticket in a store or via the Lotto App, you can also check in in the store or via the App.
The National Lottery Games
Lotto games are very popular in New Zealand. For starters, there is a national lottery that offers three different games.
These are the Lotto 6/40, the Powerball, and the Strike games. Traditionally, paper tickets would be bought in stores, but with the advancement of technology, all that has changed.
So let’s see how to buy lotto online and what its advantages are.
Lotto 6/40 is played weekly, and it is very easy to buy lotto online. When the lottery is drawn, six numbers are chosen at random, plus one additional bonus number.
To play, all you need to do is pick six numbers from 1 to 40 to create a line on your ticket. If your six numbers match the six numbers selected in the draw, you will win the top prize.
However, you can still win if you match fewer than 6 numbers, as there are 7 prize tiers in total. If you only match 3 of your 6 numbers, you will win Division 7.
To play the Powerball, add an extra number between 1 and 10 to your lotto line. In the strike game, you have to choose your numbers to match the first 4 numbers drawn in Lotto 6/40.
How to Play the Lottery Online
Playing Lotto 6/40 online is easy. Just go to the official site at mylotto.co.nz. You must create an account and select the desired payment method.
The site is a one-stop shop for all national lottery games. You can buy tickets, play other instant games, and read the latest lottery news.
You don’t have to worry about checking your tickets either, as you’ll automatically be notified if you’ve won.
There are three ways to play lotto online in New Zealand on this site. You can choose your own numbers using the dialer.
Each line costs 70 cents, and you have to play a minimum of 4 lines, costing a total of NZ $2.80.
If you want to add a Powerball number, each line plus the bonus ball costs NZ $1.50. Adding a strike line costs another NZ $1.
An even faster and easier method of buying lottery tickets online is to buy a “dip”. Here, a random selection of numbers will be chosen for you.
You can choose to buy only a Lucky Dip ticket for the Lotto 6/40. Choose a Power Dip ticket to also play the Powerball.
Or go all out with a Triple Dip ticket to play the Lotto, Powerball, and Strike games!
Advantages and disadvantages
Benefits of Purchasing Lotto Tickets Online
Full security of your tickets
You can play it anytime, anywhere.
You will be notified if you win.
Other lottery games available to New Zealanders
How to Buy Lotto Tickets Online: Cons
Whatever lottery game you play, the odds are usually against you.
You might end up spending more than you can afford.
In addition to the three NZ National Lottery games we have already mentioned, there are a whole host of other lotteries that New Zealand players can play online.
These include smaller, regional lotteries, multimillion-dollar overseas games, and instant-win scratch games that can be found on online casino sites or in the Instant Kiwi section on mylotto.co.nz.
Of course, the most attractive games are those lottery games with the biggest payouts.
However, many of these are geographically restricted, meaning they only sell tickets to players registered within the country’s borders.
But there are ways for New Zealand players to get involved. They can use sites like Giantlottos, TheLotter, and Lottoland.
In addition to allowing you to play lotto online in New Zealand, these sites open the doors to some of the most lucrative international lotteries, such as the EuroMillions and USA Powerball.
This works because these sites act as proxy buyers. NZ players need to create an account and deposit just like you would on a casino site.
You can then buy tickets for a single lottery game as an individual or as part of a syndicate.
For even more excitement, players can choose to bundle, when tickets for several lotteries, often in different countries, are bought in one bundle,
Instant-win lottery games
For an instant thrill, players in New Zealand can also play a variety of instant lottery games.
With this, the games only last a few minutes and you immediately know whether you have won or lost. Instant lotto games play out in much the same way as virtual and real-live lotteries.
However, in order to play, you need to find an online site that offers these games and create an account.
Then choose a payment option, deposit money into your player account, choose your game, and start playing.
For example, in the Instant Kiwi Instant Lotto game, you can select your own numbers from 1–40 or press the auto-pick button.
Once your selection is complete, a lottery draw animation will appear.
Hitting Draw selects six numbers and a bonus number. Matching 3 will win you back your stake, and matching 6 will win you the NZ $20,000 jackpot.
When it comes to jackpot size, instant lotto games have a fixed, much smaller top prize than the potential jackpots available on weekly live lottos.
Finally, many online casinos offer scratch cards, some of which are lotto-style games.
You must scratch to reveal the winning numbers for that card, and then scratch to reveal the numbers being played to see if they match.
Other lottery games available to New Zealanders
In addition to the three NZ National Lottery games we have already mentioned, there are a whole host of other lotteries that New Zealand players can play online.
These include smaller, regional lotteries, multi-million dollar overseas games, and instant-win scratch games that can be found on online casino sites or in the Instant Kiwi section on MyLotto.
Of course, the most attractive games are those lottery games with the biggest payouts.
However, many of these are geographically restricted, meaning they only sell tickets to players registered within the country’s borders. But there are ways for New Zealand players to get involved.
They can use sites like Giantlottos, TheLotter, and Lottoland. In addition to allowing you to play lotto online in New Zealand, these sites open the doors to some of the most lucrative international lotteries, such as the EuroMillions and USA Powerball.
This works because these sites act as proxy buyers. NZ players need to create an account and deposit just like you would on a casino site.
You can then buy tickets for a single lottery game as an individual or as part of a syndicate. For even more excitement, players can choose to bundle, when tickets for several lotteries, often in different countries, are bought in one bundle.
If you choose to play in these foreign lotteries, you will also get your winnings in the same way as when you play on other casino sites.
Once you have won, the winnings will be credited to your lotto account. This can then be converted into real money when you withdraw money from your bank account.
In addition to a detailed verification process, you must also provide the correct information if you choose to play on any of these lotto sites, especially if you want to transfer your money quickly and easily.
Lotto winners in NZ
Lotto is a game of pure luck, so winners can come from anywhere as long as you have bought a lottery ticket that you are entering with an equal chance of winning the jackpot.
There have been a number of winners at NZ lottery games and each of them has their own stories of this win.
From not being able to sleep to spending a coveted item, winning the lottery has changed more than just a few lives.
Remember, though, that it’s not all about winning the jackpot. You can win big even with smaller winnings.
And let’s not forget the communities that also benefit from these lotteries, even without even playing. When it comes to playing the NZ lottery, this national lottery also helps local communities and projects in need.
In fact, the lotto winnings go all to this support, which has currently supported over 3000 different causes.
In addition, if you are a winner, you are encouraged to give back.
It can be done in a variety of ways, such as donating to charity, funding an education, or even paying off someone’s mortgage.
At the end of the day, more than one person can be a winner in the lottery in New Zealand.
Top Tips for Online Lotteries
Playing lotto online is exciting and offers the chance to win life-changing jackpots. Although playing lotto is a luck-based game, there are a number of things to consider that can help you have more success while playing. We’ve outlined some of the best tips here:
Always play responsibly.
Set a budget for buying lottery tickets and stick to it.
Pick games that have a better chance of winning—look at the odds of winning and the win ratios given for each game.
Remember, you are more likely to match 3 numbers for a small prize than 6 for the highest jackpot.
Relax and have fun while playing
If you remember these tips, you will have a good time. You also don’t go over budget, which can cause problems later.
By being responsible in your game, you can play for longer periods of time and even enjoy smaller winnings as they come in.
Choosing where to play Lotto
There are many sites available for NZ players who want to play lotto games. However, players should be careful not to play on a fraudulent lotto site.
Visit mylotto.co.nz to play the National Lottery games. To play the lottery from abroad, make sure that the site you choose is properly licenced and uses the right encryption tools, such as SSL protocols, to protect your sensitive information.
Here are some important things to consider when choosing which lotto site to join:
Is the site licenced by a reputable governing body?
Does the site offer 24/7 support?
Are there clear conditions?
Does the site offer a wide variety of lotto options?
What are the available payment methods and processing speeds?
You can choose to search for the best sites to play lotto online in New Zealand yourself, using these tips to get you started. Alternatively, you can choose a site based on our expert judgment.
We have a full team of lotto experts who have researched and vetted the best lotto sites. We’ve done the work so you don’t have to! You can check out the full list of the best online lotto sites in New Zealand here.
Apps for Lottery in New Zealand
In this current era, more and more people choose to play games and lotto on their mobile phones. With this in mind, you need to know how to buy lottery tickets online through a mobile site.
Fortunately, the lottery industry is there with you and has made it very easy for you to get all the lotto tickets you want on your mobile device.
There are actually a number of different ways you can buy lottery tickets. For starters, if you want to play NZ lotto on the go, the best thing to do is to download the official Lotto NZ app.
This gives you access to your Lotto account and you can buy tickets by creating subscriptions.
You can even watch some virtual lottery draws and withdraw your winnings. There are other apps available that let you play Kiwi games online or check your tickets to see if you’ve won!
However, remember that you can only create one account in the app, but you can purchase a number of different lotto subscriptions.
There are a number of other New Zealand lotto apps that offer similar features, including the ability to receive jackpot reminders straight to your phone and the ability to make quick withdrawals.
Some of these apps, like the New Zealand Lotto Results or Lottery HUB apps, offer this and more.
Most online lotto sites have an app, even sites based abroad that offer some of the larger global lottery options. However, some sites may not have a dedicated mobile app.
If this is the case, don’t worry because most online lotto sites have made certain that their sites are fully optimised for mobile use.
This means that even if there is no app, you can still go online to buy tickets.
These sites have a corresponding browser version, so you can log in to your account either way and buy tickets or control numbers whenever and wherever you want.
Just like when choosing a lotto site, make sure you choose a reputable mobile lotto site.
Our team of experts has searched a lot and you can find the best mobile lotto sites here.
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