Cantabrians are riding a wave of Lotto luck, with 11 First and Second Division wins recorded across the region since mid-April.

The winning streak began on 16 April, when a Christchurch man took home $1 million with Lotto First Division on the first ticket he had purchased since Christmas.

The man, who wished to remain anonymous, said he was stunned when he discovered the win in-store.

“I didn’t know that Lotto had been won, I just handed over my ticket and the Lotto operator told me I was a First Division winner,” he said.

“I asked her ‘what does that mean?’ and she said, ‘have a look’ and showed me the receipt with $1,000,000 on it. I didn’t know what to say – I was in complete shock. I forgot everything when it came to filling in the paperwork – my name, phone number, where I lived,” he laughed.

Afterwards, he met up with friends and broke the news.

“They were over the moon for me – probably more excited than I was at that point!” he said. The man said the win has given him the opportunity to buy his first home.

“I’m now able to get into my first home – what a great feeling that is,” he said.

Two weeks later, another Christchurch man won $1 million with a MyLotto ticket.

He said he was “struck dumb” when he saw the result online. “I honestly thought it was a wind up when I checked my ticket on MyLotto – it didn’t feel real,” he said.

“My wife thought it was a joke when I showed her too. I don’t think it sunk in until we saw it in our bank account.”

The couple also plan to buy their first home.

Ashburton had its own share of luck in the 3 May draw, with one Lotto First Division winner collecting $333,333 through MyLotto, and another player winning Lotto Second Division four times on the same ticket. One of those lines also won Powerball Second Division, bringing their total to $87,101.

Lotto NZ confirmed that since 16 April, other Second Division prizes were won in Christchurch, Kurow and wider Canterbury through a mix of in-store and online purchases.

Lotto First and Second Division prizes in Canterbury from 16 April to 3 May

• 3 May: $333,333 – Lotto First Division (MyLotto, Ashburton)
• 3 May: $87,101 – Second Division + Powerball Second Division (Woolworths Ashburton South)
• 30 April: $1,000,000 – Lotto First Division (MyLotto, Christchurch)
• 30 April: $24,048 – Second Division (Four Square Kurow)
• 23 April: $22,427 – Second Division (MyLotto, Canterbury)
• 19 April: $16,252 – Second Division (MyLotto x2, Canterbury)
• 19 April: $16,252 – Second Division (Fresh Choice Parklands, Christchurch)
• 16 April: $17,481 – Second Division (Hornby Mall Lotto, Christchurch)
• 16 April: $17,481 – Second Division (Pak N Save Moorhouse, Christchurch)
• 16 April: $17,481 – Second Division (MyLotto, Christchurch)
• 16 April: $1,000,000 – Lotto First Division (BP Mairehau, Christchurch)

Lotto NZ said it’s been a particularly lucky period for the region, with multiple major wins landing in Canterbury in just three weeks.