Shop staff's simple Lotto wish

An Auckland Lotto outlet is desperately hoping their biggest ever winner will show their face in the shop so staff can say congratulations.

Last night's lucky winner bought their ticket at Whitcoulls New Lynn and won $500,000 from First Division and the $8million Powerball prize.

Staff at the shop have been inundated with people checking their tickets this morning, none whom have taken any major prizes home with them.

Lotto salesperson Chris Dunne said the win was massive for the store and staff hoped the winner would come in and check his or her ticket with them.

"People are amazed for us, they're all really hoping it's their ticket," he said. "If they did come in it would be a shock though, I would have to sit down myself."

Dunne said the store's biggest winner had previously only taken out a prize of around $300,000, so it was a major milestone.

He said he hoped a regular customer had purchased the ticket.

"We have people come in every week, week after week, that have been coming in for years that haven't won anything," he said. "I hope it goes to them or to someone like that or a family."

This year Lotto has made seven people multi-millionaires.
"What a way to celebrate our 25th birthday by creating yet another winner," said NZ Lotteries' Chief Executive Wayne Pickup.

- © Fairfax NZ News