Masterton 'luckiest for Lotto in 2009'

Masterton's big Lotto win has seen it easily top the list as New Zealand Lotteries' luckiest district for 2009.

In June a family syndicate won New Zealand's largest ever lottery prize, a $36 million Big Wednesday jackpot, with a ticket bought from a Masterton lotto shop. The shop also sold a $5.1m Lotto Powerball ticket in February.

On a per capita basis, with almost $50m won in 2009, the Masterton district won $2116 on average per head of population, NZ Lotteries said today.

That put it well ahead of Waipa in second place, with $433 per capita, thanks mainly to a $16m Powerball prize in May.

Gore District was third on $144 per capita - boosted by three first division lotto wins last year.

Manukau, Lower Hutt, Kawerau, Thames-Coromandel, Taupo, North Shore and Gisborne rounded out the top 10.

NZ Lotteries chief executive Todd McLeay said the numbers showed the top districts on a per capita winning basis were south of the Bombay Hills, dispelling the myth that Auckland got all the big prizes.

The 2008 winner, Buller, still fared well with $85 per head making it 15th out of 72 districts around the country.

However, the worst performing districts were Waitomo with $21, Manawatu, $25.20 and western Bay of Plenty, with $25.70 per head of population.

- NZPA