MyLotto NZ: The Official Online Account and Platform Explained

MyLotto is the official online account and platform run by Lotto New Zealand, letting players in New Zealand buy tickets, check results and manage their play from a phone or computer rather than a shop counter. It covers the national draw games — Lotto, Powerball and Strike — plus Keno and online Instant Kiwi, all under the same regulated operator that has run national lotteries since 1987. Knowing how a MyLotto account works, which games it supports, what each line costs and how prizes are paid helps you take part on your own terms and avoid common pitfalls.

What is MyLotto NZ?

MyLotto NZ is the official website and mobile service for playing Lotto New Zealand’s games online. “MyLotto” refers both to the website (mylotto.co.nz) and to the personal account you create there, which doubles as your login for the mobile app. Instead of buying a paper ticket at a retailer, you register once, add money to a wallet or link a payment method, then buy entries that are stored electronically against your account.

The platform is not a separate company or a third-party reseller. It is operated directly by Lotto New Zealand, the same body that supplies tickets to the roughly 1,300 authorised retail outlets around the country. Buying through MyLotto gives you the identical draws, odds and prize divisions as a shop ticket; the difference is in how you buy, store and claim, not in the games themselves.

Who runs MyLotto and is it legal and safe?

Lotto New Zealand — the trading name of the New Zealand Lotteries Commission — is the only organisation permitted to run national lottery games in New Zealand, and MyLotto is its official online channel. The Commission is a Crown entity, and gambling in New Zealand is regulated under the Gambling Act 2003, with oversight from the Department of Internal Affairs. You can read more about the operator and how it is structured in our guide to the New Zealand Lotteries Commission.

Because MyLotto is the official platform, it is a lawful and safe place for eligible players to buy entries. Surplus profits are returned to the community rather than kept as private shareholder gain, which is one way the national lottery differs from unregulated offshore gambling sites. The practical takeaway: play only through mylotto.co.nz or the official app, and treat any other website, email or message claiming to sell “MyLotto” tickets as a scam.

How do you create a MyLotto account?

You create a MyLotto account by registering online with your personal details and confirming you meet the eligibility rules. The process is free and takes a few minutes. In broad terms you will:

• Confirm your age and residency. You must be 18 or over to register and play, and you need to be in New Zealand with a valid New Zealand address. The official rule is explained in our overview of the Lotto age limit in NZ.
• Provide your details. Registration typically asks for your name, date of birth, email address and physical address so Lotto NZ can verify your identity and age.
• Set a password and security details. Choose a strong, unique password; this account can hold funds and prize money, so treat it like online banking.
• Add a payment method. You can top up a MyLotto wallet or link a card or bank account to pay for entries. Deposit and spend limits are available as a responsible-play safeguard.

Only one account per person is allowed, and the name on the account should match the person playing, because identity is checked when larger prizes are claimed.

Which games can you play on MyLotto?

MyLotto lets you play all of Lotto New Zealand’s main games from a single account: the draw games Lotto, Powerball and Strike, the frequent-draw game Keno, and Instant Kiwi online games. The table below sets out how each one works so you can see the differences at a glance.

Lotto

Lotto is the flagship draw game. You pick six numbers from 1 to 40 per line, and a seventh “bonus ball” is drawn after the six main numbers to decide certain prize divisions. A standard entry is a minimum of four lines. Matching all six main numbers on a line wins the First Division prize; smaller matches win lower divisions. Draws take place twice a week.

Powerball

Powerball is an add-on to a Lotto entry, not a standalone ticket. You add a Powerball number to each Lotto line, and that number is drawn separately. It is the game with the headline jackpots. As of 13 September 2026, the Powerball pool was expanded from 1–10 to 1–14, a new Division 8 was introduced, the starting jackpot rose from $4 million to $5 million and the cap rose from $50 million to $60 million. The change also lengthened the odds of winning Division 1 from roughly 1 in 38.4 million to about 1 in 53.7 million per line. Our guide to the odds of winning Powerball NZ explains what the 2026 change means in practice.

Strike

Strike is a separate game that uses the first four main Lotto numbers. You choose four numbers from 1 to 40, and to win the top Strike prize your numbers must match those four in the exact order they are drawn. Order matters — the right numbers in the wrong order win a smaller prize or none at all — which is what sets Strike apart from standard Lotto.

Keno

Keno is a frequent-draw numbers game with draws throughout the day rather than twice a week. You choose how many numbers to play (from a large field) and how much to stake, and prizes scale with how many of your numbers are drawn. It appeals to players who want results without waiting for a scheduled evening draw.

Instant Kiwi online

Instant Kiwi is Lotto NZ’s scratch-style game. Physical scratch tickets are sold at retailers from $1 upward, with higher-value tickets also available, and they reveal a result immediately. Through MyLotto you can also play Instant Kiwi online games, which work the same way digitally — the first $1 million online Instant Kiwi prize was won in July 2026. You can read more in our dedicated Instant Kiwi guide.

How do you buy a ticket on MyLotto?

Once logged in, you buy a ticket by choosing a game, selecting your numbers and confirming payment from your wallet or linked method. You have two main ways to choose numbers:

• Manual selection: you pick each number yourself.
• Dip (Quick Pick): the system randomly generates your numbers. A “Dip” is simply the New Zealand term for a computer-generated random line.

You can also set up a recurring purchase so the same entry is bought automatically for upcoming draws, and you can join a syndicate to share the cost of more lines. Every entry is stored against your account, so there is no paper ticket to lose, and you can view your purchase history at any time.

When are the draws?

Live Lotto, Powerball and Strike draws take place every Wednesday and Saturday evening. Sales for a draw close at 7:30pm on the draw night, and the draws are then televised at approximately 8pm. If you buy online, your entry must be confirmed before the 7:30pm cut-off to be included in that night’s draw. For the full schedule and where to watch, see our guide to Lotto draw time in NZ.

How do you check results and claim prizes on MyLotto?

With a MyLotto account, results are checked automatically against your online entries, so you do not need to compare numbers by hand. You will see your results when you log in, and winning amounts are handled according to the prize size. How a prize is paid depends on whether the ticket was bought online or on paper, and on how much it is worth.

Small prizes

For tickets bought through MyLotto, prizes of $1,000 or less are credited automatically to your MyLotto account balance, which you can then spend on more entries or withdraw. This automatic crediting is one of the main conveniences of playing online rather than returning to a shop to collect a minor win.

Larger prizes and First Division wins

For online tickets worth more than $1,000, Lotto NZ emails you to log in and complete an online prize claim, with identity verification for larger amounts; for the biggest jackpots the operator contacts winners directly to arrange a secure payout, usually by bank transfer. Paper tickets follow a different route: small amounts can be collected at any Lotto retailer, while larger paper-ticket prizes are claimed at a Lotto NZ store or the head office. Whichever route applies, prizes must be claimed within 12 months of the draw. Our step-by-step guide to claiming Lotto winnings in NZ covers the limits and forms in detail.

MyLotto website vs the MyLotto app

The MyLotto website and the MyLotto app use the same account and offer the same core features; the choice is about convenience. The app, available for Android and iOS, adds handy extras such as scanning a paper ticket with your phone camera to check it, push notifications and quick access to results. The website is often easier for managing account settings, limits and longer purchase histories on a larger screen. For a closer look at the mobile version, see our review of the MyLotto app.

What does it cost to play?

Costs on MyLotto are the same as in a shop because the games are identical. A standard Lotto line is $0.70, with a minimum entry of four lines. Adding Powerball costs extra per line, and a Strike entry is a separate per-line charge. Keno and Instant Kiwi have their own stake structures. Prices can change, so confirm the current figures before you buy; our breakdown of Lotto ticket prices in NZ sets out the exact cost of lines, Powerball and Strike.

A sensible approach is to set a weekly or monthly budget before you register, and to use MyLotto’s deposit and spend limits to keep to it. Treating the amount you spend as the cost of entertainment — money you are comfortable losing — is the healthiest way to approach any lottery.

Syndicates and group play

MyLotto supports syndicates, where a group pools money to buy more lines than any one member could afford alone, sharing both the cost and any winnings. More lines mean more chances per draw, but any prize is divided among members according to their share, so the amount each person receives is smaller. Group play through the official platform keeps the arrangement transparent, but informal syndicates among friends or workmates should still have a clear written agreement. Our guide to Lotto syndicate rules in New Zealand explains how shares and agreements work.

Common mistakes to avoid

Most problems players run into with MyLotto are avoidable with a little care:

• Missing the sales cut-off. Entries must be confirmed before 7:30pm on draw night. Buying at 7:45pm puts you in the next draw, not tonight’s.
• Using an unofficial site. Only mylotto.co.nz and the official app are genuine. “Lottery agent” sites that offer to buy NZ tickets on your behalf are not Lotto NZ and may not deliver a real entry.
• Believing strategies change the odds. Picking “hot” or “cold” numbers, avoiding patterns or buying more lines does not change the fixed odds of any single line. These choices only affect how a prize might be shared, not your chance of winning it.
• Letting a prize expire. Prizes must be claimed within 12 months. For online accounts this is largely automatic, but paper tickets and large wins still need action.
• Weak account security. Reusing a password or ignoring a suspicious login puts both your funds and any prize at risk.
• Chasing losses. Increasing spending to win back money already lost is the clearest warning sign of gambling harm.

Security and privacy on MyLotto

MyLotto holds personal details, payment information and sometimes prize money, so account security matters. Use a strong, unique password, keep your contact details current so prize notifications reach you, and be alert to phishing — Lotto NZ will never ask for your password or full financial details in an unsolicited email or text. If a message asks you to “verify” your account by entering your login on another site, it is not genuine.

On privacy, major winners can generally choose whether to go public or stay anonymous. Lotto NZ runs identity and verification checks when large prizes are claimed, which protects both the winner and the integrity of the games. Enabling any available account alerts and reviewing your spend limits periodically are simple steps that keep your play both secure and within your own boundaries.

Who is MyLotto for?

MyLotto suits New Zealand residents aged 18 and over who want a convenient, official way to play the national lottery without keeping paper tickets. It is well suited to regular players who value automatic result-checking, recurring entries and automatic payment of small prizes, and to anyone who wants built-in spending limits. It is not suited to visitors or people outside New Zealand, who cannot register, and it is not a way to improve the odds — those are fixed by each game’s design regardless of how you buy.

Responsible gambling

This article is for general information only and is not financial, legal or gambling advice. Lotto, Powerball, Strike, Keno and Instant Kiwi are games of chance; outcomes are random and no system, number pattern or amount of spending improves the fixed odds of winning. Only people aged 18 or over may play, and entries should be treated as entertainment, with money you can afford to lose, never as a way to make income or recover losses. You can set deposit and spend limits within your MyLotto account and review them at any time; our responsible gambling guide has more. If gambling is causing you or someone you know harm, free and confidential help is available 24/7 from the Gambling Helpline Aotearoa on 0800 654 655.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Is MyLotto the official Lotto NZ website?

Yes. MyLotto (mylotto.co.nz) is the official online platform run by Lotto New Zealand, the trading name of the New Zealand Lotteries Commission. It is the only genuine way to buy and manage Lotto, Powerball, Strike, Keno and Instant Kiwi online in New Zealand, and the official app uses the same account.

How old do you have to be to use MyLotto?

You must be 18 or over to register for and play on MyLotto. Age and identity are checked at registration and again when larger prizes are claimed, so the details on your account should match the person playing.

How are MyLotto prizes paid out?

For tickets bought online, prizes of $1,000 or less are credited automatically to your MyLotto account balance. Prizes above $1,000 require an online claim, and the biggest jackpots are arranged directly with Lotto NZ, usually by bank transfer. All prizes must be claimed within 12 months of the draw.

Can tourists or people overseas use MyLotto?

No. To register you need to be in New Zealand and provide a valid New Zealand address, so visitors and people living overseas cannot open a MyLotto account. Tourists can, however, buy a paper ticket in person from an authorised retailer while in the country.

Did MyLotto change after the 2026 Powerball update?

The way you use MyLotto did not change, but Powerball itself did. From 13 September 2026 the Powerball pool expanded from 1–10 to 1–14, a new Division 8 was added, the jackpot floor rose to $5 million and the cap to $60 million, and the odds of winning Division 1 lengthened to about 1 in 53.7 million per line.