NZ Lotto Ticket Prices: What a Line, Powerball and Strike Cost in 2026

The most common question I get that isn't about the numbers at all is about the money on the other side of the counter: what does a Lotto ticket actually cost in New Zealand now?

Here's the full answer, current as of September 2026. Prices in NZ have shifted over the years, so if you're reading this later, treat the official MyLotto site as the final word.

The core prices

Because Lotto has a four-line minimum, the cheapest possible ticket is 4 Lotto lines × $0.70 = $2.80. Add Powerball to all four lines and it's 4 × ($0.70 + $0.80) = $6.00. Add Strike on top and each Strike line is another dollar.

What the Dips cost

If you'd rather let the machine pick your numbers, the Dip prices follow straight from the line prices:

• Lucky Dip (Lotto only): from $5.60 for 8 lines, up through the bigger Dips (10, 12, 16, 20 lines) to 20 lines for $14.00.
• Powerball Dip: 8 lines of Lotto + Powerball = 8 × $1.50 = $12.00, scaling the same way.
• Triple Dip: 18 Lotto lines + 18 Powerball lines + 1 Strike line = $28.00 — the classic big-night bundle.

Dips cost the same per line as hand-picked numbers; all you're paying for is the convenience of not choosing.

Multidraw: the same numbers, up to 10 draws

Both picked numbers and Dips can be entered into up to 10 consecutive draws with a Multidraw entry. The price is simply the per-draw price multiplied by the number of draws — no premium for playing ahead. This is also the quietly sensible option for people who play the same numbers every week (the maths is identical draw to draw, but a Multidraw means you can never accidentally skip the week your numbers come up).

What you're buying for that money

Every Lotto ticket buys entry into two weekly draws' worth of prize structure: a fixed $1 million Division 1 pool in the main draw (shared if there are multiple winners), six more prize divisions below it, and — if you've added Powerball — a separate ladder topped by a jackpot that rolls over draw after draw until someone wins, or a Must Be Won draw forces it out the door.

On top of ticket price, it's worth knowing the claim rules: prizes up to $1,000 are paid at any retailer (or straight into your MyLotto wallet online), anything larger goes through a claim with Lotto NZ, and you have 12 months from the draw date. The full after-the-win process is in what happens if you win Lotto NZ.

Is the more expensive ticket "better"?

Honest answer: the games with bigger add-ons have bigger jackpots and longer odds, not better value. A $2.80 Lotto-only ticket and a $28 Triple Dip are both priced to return somewhat less than they take in — that's how the prize pools and community funding are paid for. The right spend is the one that's fun and affordable, not the one that feels closest to a jackpot.

If you're comparing games rather than add-ons — the scratchies versus the draw games — that comparison is in Instant Kiwi vs Lotto. And whatever you play, every draw is an independent event: no combination of lines changes the underlying odds, which are about 1 in 3.8 million per line for Division 1.

Prices last checked September 2026 — always confirm current pricing at mylotto.co.nz before you play. And if spending on Lotto ever stops feeling like a choice, Gambling Helpline NZ (0800 654 655) is free and confidential, 24/7.