New Zealand Celebrates!
Last Updated: Wednesday 7th August 2013, 15:29
New Zealand is preparing to celebrate it's 1000th Lotto draw on Saturday 5 August, and to help players get even more excited than usual, lottery officials have announced that there will be more than 1,000 extra prizes up for grabs.
New Zealand Lotteries Chief Executive Todd McLeay says, "The 1,000th Lotto draw is a huge milestone for us and our loyal players, many of whom have been buying tickets since Lotto's first draw on Saturday 1 August 1987.
"What better way to reward them, and say a very big thank you, than by offering all of our players, regardless of the type of Lotto ticket they buy, the chance to win more than 1,000 extra prizes.
"In addition to our usual divisional prizes, all players who purchase a Lotto ticket between Sunday 23 July 2006 and Saturday 5 August will be in with the chance to win one of 1,100 extra prizes.
"This includes 100 major prizes ranging from $10,000 to a top prize of $1 million which will be drawn on 5 August, the night of the 1,000th draw."
The top 100 prizes are made up as follows:
1 prize of $1,000,000
3 prizes of $100,000
5 prizes of $50,000
6 prizes of $25,000
85 prizes of $10,000
"If that's not enough," Todd continues, "we'll be rewarding many, many more players by offering the remaining 1,000 prizes randomly to players in the two-week period leading up to the draw.
"When they buy their Lotto ticket winners of this prize will find out immediately that they have won $1,001 and will be assisted to fill in a Prize Claim Form to claim it.
"Under our rules Lotto players who win $1,000 or less get paid in cash, but with the number of prizes on offer with this promotion we decided it would be easier for everyone if we co-ordinate payment from one point, which is why they will get the extra dollar.
"Many of our players who took part in our first draw are still playing today, and it is the sales generated by those people and other players which has allowed NZ Lotteries to transfer more that $2 billion for the Lottery Grants Board for distribution to the community since our first draw in 1987."
We here at The Lottery Company would like to congratulate the New Zealand Lotto on it's looming 1,000th draw, and wish everyone buying a ticket the very best of luck.