Instant Kiwi NZ: How Online and Scratch Card Games Work

Instant Kiwi is New Zealand’s family of scratch cards and instant-win games, run by Lotto NZ, the trading name of the New Zealand Lotteries Commission. You can buy a physical scratch card over the counter at a shop or play digital versions on the MyLotto website and app. This guide explains what Instant Kiwi is, how the online and in-store games differ, who can play, what tickets cost, how odds and prizes work, and the spending limits and rules updated in the 2025 Lotto NZ system upgrade — plus the responsible-gambling tools every player should know about.

What is Instant Kiwi?

Instant Kiwi is a brand of “instant-win” games, meaning you find out straight away whether you have won rather than waiting for a scheduled draw. It comes in two forms. The first is the classic scratch card (often called a “scratchie”) sold at Lotto retailers, where you scratch off a coating to reveal symbols or numbers. The second is Instant Kiwi Online, a set of digital games played on the MyLotto website or the MyLotto app. Both are operated by the New Zealand Lotteries Commission, and all profits go to community funding rather than private shareholders.

Every Instant Kiwi game is a game of pure chance. The result is fixed the moment a ticket is created, so nothing you do while scratching or tapping changes the outcome. That is the single most important thing to understand before you play.

Instant Kiwi Online vs in-store scratch cards

Instant Kiwi Online games and in-store scratchies are separate products, even when they share a name and look similar. They have different prize pools, are bought in different ways and pay out differently. The table below sets out the main differences at a glance.

In short, a game called the same thing online and in a shop is not the same game. If you win on one, you cannot claim that prize through the other.

What types of Instant Kiwi games are there?

Instant Kiwi covers a wide variety of games rather than a single format, which is part of its appeal. The designs are built to suit different tastes and price points, but they all share the same instant-win principle.

• Classic scratch cards: traditional cards where you match symbols, numbers or amounts by scratching off the coating.
• Themed cards and games: designs built around themes such as sports, animals or adventure, and occasional collectable editions released to mark events or special occasions.
• Online scratchies: digital versions of the scratch-card experience, revealed by tapping or swiping on screen in the MyLotto app or website.
• Other online instant games: number-match and game-style formats played entirely online, including newer higher-value games.

The range changes over time as games are retired and new ones launch. The September 2025 Lotto NZ system upgrade, for example, introduced a batch of new online Instant Kiwi games while some older titles were withdrawn, so the exact line-up you see in the app is not fixed.

Who can play Instant Kiwi, and when?

You must be 18 or older to buy any Instant Kiwi game, whether online or in a shop. Eighteen is the legal minimum age for buying Lotto NZ products, and retailers can ask for photo ID. (You can read more about the Lotto age limit in New Zealand on our dedicated guide.)

To play Instant Kiwi Online you also need to be a fully registered MyLotto player with a verified account. In-store scratch cards do not need an account — you simply buy one at the counter.

Instant Kiwi Online games are sold during set hours each day, traditionally from around 6:30am until about 10:10pm. The exact daily window is shown in the MyLotto app and can change, so check there if you plan to play early or late. In-store scratch cards can be bought whenever an authorised Lotto retailer is open.

How do you buy Instant Kiwi tickets?

Buying in-store

In-store purchases are made at authorised Lotto NZ retailers, usually identified by the official Lotto logo or signage. You choose a scratch card from the display, pay at the counter and scratch it there or take it away. Smaller prizes can be claimed from the retailer, while larger wins are claimed through Lotto NZ.

Buying online on MyLotto

Online scratchies and instant games are bought through the MyLotto website or app after you create and verify an account. You top up your balance using an accepted electronic payment method, choose a game, and the result is revealed on screen. You can also play them on the official MyLotto Instant Kiwi page. Once you confirm a purchase, the outcome is already decided, so all sales are final and cannot be cancelled or refunded.

Two online rules often surprise new players. If you start a ticket but do not finish revealing it, the system automatically completes it for you within about 45 minutes of purchase. And if you are inactive for 30 minutes you are logged out for security; any winnings from an interrupted game are paid into your MyLotto wallet, usually within 45 minutes.

How much does Instant Kiwi cost, and what are the odds?

Instant Kiwi tickets span a wide price range. In-store scratch cards commonly cost between $1 and $10, while some online games cost more — the “Millionaire Money Match” online game launched in 2026, for example, costs $15 to play. As a rule, higher-priced tickets offer larger top prizes and a better overall chance of winning something than the cheapest $1 and $2 options.

The published odds of winning any prize on an Instant Kiwi game are generally between about 1 in 3 and 1 in 5, depending on the game. That figure is the chance of winning any prize, most often a small one — not the chance of winning a top prize, which is far rarer. Each game lists its own odds and prize structure before you buy.

It helps to put those odds in context. Draw-based games such as Lotto have much longer odds for the jackpot; you can compare them in our guide to the odds of winning Lotto in NZ.

What prizes can you win?

Instant Kiwi prizes range from small, common amounts of a few dollars up to six-figure and, in rare cases, $1 million top prizes. Most tickets that win return a modest sum. Some games have also offered non-cash prizes in the past, such as vehicles. The prize tiers and the odds attached to each tier differ from game to game and are set out in each game’s prize table.

Are the top prizes always available?

This depends on whether you are playing online or in-store, and it is a common point of confusion.

• Online games: yes. Advertised prizes for Instant Kiwi Online games are always available at the time of purchase, no matter how many times they have already been won. This rule has not changed.
• In-store scratch cards: not guaranteed. Since a Lotto NZ policy change in late 2024, in-store scratch cards can stay on sale even after all of their top prizes have been claimed. To find out whether a big prize is still available, check the MyLotto app, scan the QR code on the ticket information, or ask the retailer, who can print a report of remaining top prizes.

Consumer NZ has criticised the in-store arrangement, arguing that advertising a headline prize can mislead shoppers when that prize is already gone. The practical takeaway: for in-store scratchies, check before you buy if a specific top prize matters to you.

How do you know if you have won?

On an in-store scratch card, you simply scratch the panels and compare your symbols or numbers with the winning conditions printed on the card. If you are unsure, a retailer can scan the ticket to confirm the result.

Online, the result of each game is shown on screen as soon as you finish it. You can also review past results in your MyLotto account under My Tickets, in the completed-tickets section. Online prizes under $1,000 are credited automatically to your MyLotto wallet, and you withdraw them through the account settings; larger prizes are handled by Lotto NZ. In-store prizes are claimed at a Lotto store, with bigger amounts claimed directly from Lotto NZ.

What are the spending limits on Instant Kiwi?

Lotto NZ applies a single seven-day rolling spend limit of up to $150 across all of its games, including Instant Kiwi. This replaced the previous system, in which online players had a weekly cap of $150 with a separate sub-limit of no more than $50 on Instant Kiwi. The change took effect with the system upgrade on 29 September 2025, so older guides that still mention a standalone $50 Instant Kiwi cap are out of date.

The rolling limit updates every day based on your spending over the previous seven days. You can set your own lower personal limits in your MyLotto account under Settings. Reductions take effect immediately, while any increase only applies after 24 hours — a deliberate “cooling-off” design.

How is Instant Kiwi different from Keno and Lotto?

Instant Kiwi, Keno and Lotto are all Lotto NZ games, but they work in very different ways. Instant Kiwi gives you an instant result from a scratch card or online game. Keno is a numbers game with four draws every day (held at 10am, 1pm, 3pm and 6pm) where you pick how many numbers to play. Lotto is a twice-weekly draw game, played every Wednesday and Saturday, with the largest jackpots on the network.

Two other differences stand out. Instant Kiwi is strictly 18-plus, and unlike a draw game its outcome is already decided when you buy. If you want a fuller breakdown of how these games relate to one another, see our comparison of the difference between Keno, Bingo and Lotto.

The history of Instant Kiwi

Instant Kiwi launched on 14 September 1989, replacing the Golden Kiwi lottery. Golden Kiwi had run since 1961 but was wound down after sales fell following the arrival of Lotto in 1987; its final draw was held in Wellington on 30 August 1989. Instant Kiwi was introduced partly to help raise money for the 1990 Auckland Commonwealth Games, and its scratch cards quickly became a familiar part of New Zealand shops.

The games moved online in December 2017, when Lotto NZ launched “Instant Play” on the MyLotto website. Now known as Instant Kiwi Online, the platform brought the scratch-card experience to computers, tablets and the MyLotto app, including a free demo mode so players could try a game before buying.

Instant Kiwi Online reached a milestone in July 2026, when a woman from the Tasman region became the first person to win a $1 million prize on an online Instant Kiwi game. She won on “Millionaire Money Match”, a $15 game that had launched the previous month; the previous online record had been $200,000. Million-dollar wins had happened before, but only on in-store scratch cards.

Common mistakes and misconceptions

Because Instant Kiwi is a game of chance, several popular beliefs about it are simply wrong. Avoiding them helps you play more safely and spend less.

• Believing some retailers are “luckier.” Where you buy a ticket has no effect on the result. Every card’s outcome is set in advance and distributed randomly.
• Looking for patterns or “systems.” There is no reading of the card, timing of a purchase or sequence of games that improves your chances. No skill is involved.
• Assuming the demo predicts a real win. The free “Try Now” mode online lets you see how a game plays, but demo results are not real and winnings are not paid out.
• Thinking a shop ticket’s top prize must still be live. As noted above, in-store cards can remain on sale after top prizes are gone. Check first.
• Treating it as a way to make money. Instant Kiwi is entertainment with a negative expected return over time, not an income source.

Is there any skill or strategy involved?

No. Instant Kiwi games are games of chance, and the outcome of every ticket is determined randomly by the system the moment it is created. Nothing about how you scratch a card or which online game you choose changes your odds on a given ticket. The only sensible “strategy” is to understand the odds, treat any spend as entertainment money, set a limit you are comfortable with and stop when you reach it.

Responsible gambling

This section is information only and is not advice or encouragement to gamble. Instant Kiwi is designed as entertainment, and over time players lose more than they win — that is how the games fund community grants. Playing responsibly means setting a budget you can afford to lose, accepting that a loss is the most likely result and never chasing losses. Only ever buy in-store scratch cards from authorised Lotto NZ retailers.

Lotto NZ provides Play Smart tools and account spending limits to help you stay in control, and you can read more on our responsible gambling guide. If gambling is causing you or someone you know harm, free, confidential help is available in New Zealand from the Gambling Helpline Aotearoa, which can be called any time on 0800 654 655 or texted on 8006.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Do you have to be 18 to play Instant Kiwi?

Yes. You must be 18 or older to buy any Instant Kiwi game, in-store or online, and retailers can ask for photo ID. Online play also requires a verified MyLotto account.

Can I play Instant Kiwi Online for free?

You can try most Instant Kiwi Online games for free using the “Try Now” demo mode, which shows how a game works without deducting money. However, demo results are not real and no winnings are paid from the demo.

Are Instant Kiwi Online games the same as in-store scratchies?

No. Even when they share a name and look alike, online and in-store games are separate products with different prize pools. A prize won on one cannot be claimed through the other.

What is the spending limit for Instant Kiwi?

Since 29 September 2025, Lotto NZ applies one seven-day rolling limit of up to $150 across all its games, including Instant Kiwi. The old separate $50 Instant Kiwi cap no longer applies, and you can set lower personal limits in your MyLotto account.

Are Instant Kiwi top prizes always available?

For Instant Kiwi Online games, yes — advertised prizes are always available at purchase. For in-store scratch cards, a top prize may already have been won, so check the MyLotto app, scan the ticket QR code or ask the retailer before buying.