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Media Release 09 March 2010

Wanted : Lotto's Half A Million Dollar Winner

There's a half a million dollar man or woman out there, and we want to hear from them so they can collect their First Division Lotto prize - before it's too late, says NZ Lotteries' Chief Executive, Todd McLeay.

The $500,000 winning ticket, sold just over 11 months ago at Richmond Road Superette in Ponsonby, Auckland, hasn't been claimed yet, but there's still over five weeks for them to come forward, according to Mr McLeay.

"It was school holidays, a week after Easter and the weekend before ANZAC day, so they may have been someone visiting Auckland, or a local, either way, everyone should check their couches, cupboards, cars, and coats."

Ticket holders have 12 months from the date of the draw their ticket was entered into to claim their ticket, so this $500,000 Lotto ticket must be claimed by Sunday 18 April, 2010.

"If the lucky ticket holder does not come forward within the next month, this would be the largest unclaimed Lotto prize since the nationwide search for the Kaiapoi $500,000 winner failed to find that ticket holder in May 2008," adds Mr McLeay.

The largest prize that expired unclaimed in recent times was a $3 million Lotto prize that was sold in Masterton in early 2003.

Up to three percent of all NZ Lotteries' prizes are unclaimed in an average year. The unclaimed prizes are transferred to the prize reserve fund where they are used to fund jackpots and promotional prizes.

"We also have a $4 million Lotto Powerball ticket yet to be claimed from a draw a month ago. That ticket was sold at Stoke New World in Nelson.

"Anyone who bought a ticket at either of these retailers should write their name on the back of their ticket and check it as soon as possible at any NZ Lotteries outlet," says Mr McLeay.


Ends

For more information:
Victoria Barton-Chapple
021 716 522
(04) 802 7015