Lotto ticket prices in New Zealand start at $2.80 and rise from there depending on how many lines you play and whether you add the Powerball or Strike games. Every product is run by Lotto New Zealand (Lotto NZ), and the price is the same whether you buy over the counter at a dairy, supermarket or service station, or online through MyLotto. This guide sets out the current cost of a single line, the minimum you can spend, the price of each add-on, and the fixed prices of the pre-packaged Dip tickets — with the figures updated after the Powerball changes that took effect on 13 September 2026.
Quick Facts
- Standard Lotto line: $0.70
- Minimum standard ticket: 4 lines ($2.80)
- Powerball add-on: +$0.80 per line ($1.50 per line in total)
- Minimum Lotto + Powerball ticket: $6.00 (4 lines)
- Lotto Strike: $1.00 per line
- Cheapest Lucky Dip: $5.60 (8 lines)
- GST: 15%, already included in every price
- Draw nights: Wednesday and Saturday
- Price parity: identical in store and on MyLotto
How much does a single Lotto line cost?
A single standard Lotto line costs $0.70. A line means one set of six numbers chosen from 1 to 40, and that number is matched against the six main numbers drawn every Wednesday and Saturday night. You cannot, however, buy just one line: Lotto NZ sets a minimum of four lines per standard ticket, so the cheapest standard Lotto entry is $2.80.
The four-line minimum keeps the lower prize divisions viable and gives every ticket several chances in the same draw. Matching all six numbers on one line wins a share of the Lotto First Division prize pool, which is commonly set around $1 million and split between all the winning lines in that draw rather than paid in full to each winner.
Working out the price of a custom ticket
If you fill out your own numbers on a coupon in store or on the digital grid online, the price is simply the number of lines multiplied by $0.70. The table below shows how that scales from the four-line minimum upward.
| Number of lines | Standard Lotto cost (NZD) | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 1 line | Not available | Below the four-line minimum |
| 2 lines | Not available | Below the four-line minimum |
| 3 lines | Not available | Below the four-line minimum |
| 4 lines | $2.80 | Minimum valid ticket |
| 6 lines | $4.20 | Valid |
| 8 lines | $5.60 | Valid |
| 10 lines | $7.00 | Valid |
How much does it cost to add Powerball?
Adding Powerball costs an extra $0.80 per line, on top of the $0.70 Lotto line, so each combined Lotto plus Powerball line costs $1.50. Powerball is not optional line-by-line: it must be added to every line on the ticket, so the cheapest four-line Lotto plus Powerball entry is $6.00. For each line you also pick one Powerball number, now from a pool of 1 to 14.
Powerball is where the large rolling jackpots come from. The jackpot starts at $5 million and rolls over draw to draw, up to a $60 million Must Be Won cap, at which point it must be paid out. Because the pool is large and the extra number lengthens the task, the chance of winning the top prize is roughly 1 in 53.7 million per line. You can read more about the current figures in our guide to the odds of winning Powerball.
What changed with Powerball in September 2026?
On 13 September 2026, Lotto NZ overhauled Powerball, and the changes affect the odds and prizes rather than the ticket price. The $0.80 per-line cost was left unchanged. The key differences from the old format are:
- Bigger number pool: the Powerball is now drawn from 1 to 14, up from 1 to 10.
- Higher jackpot floor and cap: the starting jackpot rose from $4 million to $5 million, and the Must Be Won cap rose from $50 million to $60 million.
- Longer odds: the first-division chance moved from about 1 in 38.4 million to about 1 in 53.7 million per line.
- A new Division 8: matching two main numbers, the Bonus Ball and the Powerball now pays a fixed $12, creating more small winners each week.
How much does Lotto Strike cost?
Lotto Strike costs $1.00 per line. For each Strike line you choose four numbers from 1 to 40, and to win the top prize they must match the first four main numbers drawn in the exact order they come out. Strike is a separate game: you can add it to a Lotto ticket, or buy it on its own without any standard Lotto lines, which is why its price scales line by line with no multi-line minimum of its own.
The top Strike prize is the Strike Four jackpot, which starts at $200,000 and rolls over until it is won or reaches its $1.5 million Must Be Won limit. Smaller fixed prizes are paid for matching one, two or three of the first four numbers in order. You can check past outcomes on our Lotto Strike results page. Strike line pricing is straightforward:
| Number of Strike lines | Total Strike cost (NZD) |
|---|---|
| 1 line | $1.00 |
| 2 lines | $2.00 |
| 3 lines | $3.00 |
| 4 lines | $4.00 |
| 5 lines | $5.00 |
Price Comparison
| Game | Cost per line | Minimum | Numbers you pick | Top prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lotto | $0.70 | 4 lines | 6 from 1–40 | First Division pool (often around $1m, shared) |
| Powerball (add-on) | +$0.80 | Added to every line (4 min) | 1 from 1–14 | Jackpot from $5m up to $60m |
| Strike | $1.00 | 1 line (can be standalone) | 4 from 1–40 in exact order | Strike Four from $200k up to $1.5m |
What do Lucky Dip tickets cost?
A Lucky Dip is a ticket where the terminal picks your numbers for you, sold in fixed line counts at set prices. A standard Lucky Dip covers the main Lotto draw only — it does not include Powerball or Strike numbers — so it is the lowest-cost way to get broad coverage of a single draw. The official MyLotto Lucky Dip prices are:
| Lotto lines | Price (NZD) |
|---|---|
| 8 lines | $5.60 |
| 10 lines | $7.00 |
| 15 lines | $10.50 |
| 20 lines | $14.00 |
What do Power Dip tickets cost?
A Power Dip is a Lucky Dip that adds a Powerball number to every line, so each line is eligible for the jackpot. Because it bundles the $0.70 Lotto line with the $0.80 Powerball add-on, a Power Dip costs more than a plain Lucky Dip with the same number of lines. The current MyLotto Power Dip options are:
| Lotto + Powerball lines | Price (NZD) |
|---|---|
| 8 + 8 | $12.00 |
| 10 + 10 | $15.00 |
| 12 + 12 | $18.00 |
| 16 + 16 | $24.00 |
What do Triple Dip tickets cost?
A Triple Dip bundles all three games — Lotto lines, matching Powerball numbers and a set number of Strike lines — into one ticket, so a single purchase enters you into every draw that night. The number of Strike lines varies between packages, which is why two Triple Dips with the same Lotto line count can have different prices. The MyLotto Triple Dip options are:
| Lotto lines | Powerball | Strike lines | Price (NZD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 10 | 1 | $16.00 |
| 10 | 10 | 3 | $18.00 |
| 12 | 12 | 2 | $20.00 |
| 16 | 16 | 1 | $25.00 |
| 18 | 18 | 1 | $28.00 |
Dips are not the only pre-set tickets. If you want a single ticket that plays every combination of a larger group of numbers, that is a System or combo ticket, which is priced differently — see our breakdown of Lotto combo and System ticket prices.
Are Lotto tickets cheaper online or in store?
The price is identical online and in store. Lotto NZ holds strict price parity across every channel: a Lotto line is $0.70, a Powerball line is $0.80 and a Strike line is $1.00 whether you receive a printed receipt at a counter or a digital confirmation on MyLotto. There are no booking fees or online surcharges. You can set up the same tickets to buy automatically each draw when you buy Lotto online.
Practical differences between the two channels
While the face-value price is the same, how you pay and how you collect prizes differs:
- Retail outlets: accept cash and EFTPOS; you keep a printed ticket that you must present to claim, so a lost ticket can mean a lost prize.
- MyLotto online: paid from your MyLotto wallet or a linked debit card; some banks treat gambling card payments as a cash advance, which can trigger fees, so check with your bank first.
- Prize handling: online wins up to a set threshold are credited straight to your account, while retail tickets are validated at a terminal.
- Ticket security: online tickets are tied to your verified account, which removes the risk of losing a winning ticket.
Where does the money from a Lotto ticket go?
Only part of each dollar you spend becomes prize money; the rest covers running the games and funding the community. Prizes are the largest single share of sales, and the remainder is split between the prize reserve fund, retailer commission, operating costs and government lottery duty. New Zealand’s 15% Goods and Services Tax (GST) is already included in every advertised price, so the figure on the menu screen is exactly what you pay.
Lotto NZ is a Crown entity that returns 100% of its operating profit to Te Puna Tahua, the New Zealand Lottery Grants Board, which distributes funding to sports, arts, heritage and community groups. Unclaimed prizes are not kept as profit — they go into the prize reserve fund that pays for future jackpots and promotional draws.
Common mistakes when buying Lotto tickets
A few recurring misunderstandings can cost players money or confuse their expectations:
- Expecting a 70-cent ticket: the $0.70 price is per line, but the four-line minimum means the smallest standard ticket is $2.80.
- Thinking Powerball is optional per line: Powerball must be added to every line on the ticket, not a chosen few, which is why it raises the whole ticket price.
- Using the old Powerball numbers: since 13 September 2026 the Powerball is drawn from 1 to 14, not 1 to 10, so number ranges and odds quoted before that date are out of date.
- Assuming a Lucky Dip includes Powerball: standard Lucky Dips are Lotto-only; you need a Power Dip or Triple Dip to be in the Powerball draw.
- Overspending to chase a jackpot: buying a far larger ticket after a run of losses does not improve the long odds of any single line. Remember that lottery products are strictly 18+ in New Zealand.
Responsible Gambling Disclaimer
This article is price and product information only and is not advice or encouragement to play. Lotto, Powerball and Strike are games of chance with very long odds, and no ticket type, Dip or spending level improves the chance of any single line winning. Lottery products in New Zealand are restricted to people aged 18 and over, and tickets should be treated as entertainment spending within a budget you can afford to lose. For more on safer play, see our responsible gambling information, and for free, confidential help contact the Gambling Helpline on 0800 654 655 or at gamblinghelpline.co.nz.
Sources
- MyLotto – How to play Lotto, Powerball and Strike
- MyLotto – Buy a Lotto, Powerball or Strike dip
- NZ Herald – Lotto Powerball changes: bigger jackpots from September 13
- Stuff – Powerball odds to get longer as Lotto NZ adds four more balls
- New Zealand Legislation – Lotto Amendment Rules 2026
- 1News – Lotto Strike $1.5m Must Be Won draw
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the cheapest Lotto ticket you can buy in NZ?
The cheapest standard Lotto ticket is a four-line entry for $2.80, because four lines is the minimum. If you want Powerball included, the cheapest entry is a four-line Lotto plus Powerball ticket for $6.00, while the lowest-priced ready-made Lucky Dip is $5.60 for eight Lotto-only lines.
How much does it cost to add Powerball to a Lotto ticket?
Powerball costs an extra $0.80 per line on top of the $0.70 Lotto line, making each combined line $1.50. It must be added to every line on the ticket rather than selected lines, and for each line you pick one Powerball number from 1 to 14. The $0.80 price did not change in the September 2026 update.
Is it more expensive to buy Lotto tickets on MyLotto than in a shop?
No. Lotto NZ keeps prices identical across every channel, so a line costs the same online and in store, with no booking fees or online surcharges. The only practical differences are the payment methods accepted and how prizes are credited or claimed.
How much is a Lotto Strike ticket?
Strike costs $1.00 per line. For each line you choose four numbers from 1 to 40 and try to match the first four main numbers drawn in exact order. Strike can be added to a Lotto ticket or bought on its own, and the price scales at $1.00 for every line with no minimum tied to Lotto.
Did Lotto ticket prices change with the September 2026 Powerball update?
No. The 13 September 2026 changes affected the Powerball number pool, jackpot size, odds and prize divisions, not the price. A Lotto line is still $0.70, Powerball is still $0.80 per line and Strike is still $1.00 per line.
