Are you stupid enough to give away 45 cents of every dollar ?
Of course , we have to pay tax . We mostly dislike that . Same with GST . And no , I'm not adding 30% top tax , and GST . This actually has nothing directly to do with tax .
But would you knowingly give away 45 cents of every dollar you spent ?
This weekend , Lotto hits $50 million , so here is your chance to win $50 million ! Race out and buy a ticket . If you have more dollars than sense .
Have you read the Lotteries Commission glossy PR brochures ? You must be in to win . Safe , smart gambling . Blah , blah , BS .
Dig a bit deeper , behind the headlines , and you will never , ever by another Lotto ticket .
" In the 31 years that New Zealanders have been paying Lotto , over $4.6 billion in essential community funding has been contributed via the Lottery Grants Board " . Wow -- what a great community service . Yeah right .
WHERE YOUR LOTTO MONEY GOES ( per $1 ) --
22 cents -- Lottery Grants
12 cents -- operating costs ( yes , thats what Lotto NZ spends on itself ! )
6 cents -- retailer commissions ( including credit card fees )
5 cents -- taxes -- goes to Government
55 cents -- Prizes .
Yes , if you spent $1 million on Lotto tickets , you are likely to get around $550,000 back . Spend that next week , and you will be down to $302,500 next weekend . 'Reinvest' that , and by week 3 your $1 million will be down to $166375 . By the time you have been through 4 draws , you'll be down to $91506 ! Seriously ! So in 4 draws , you have lost over $900,000 of your original $1 million .
So who is buying a ticket for Saturdays draw ?
Poll: Are you a Te Huia fan?
All three Hamilton MPs appear to be united behind the retention of the Te Huia passenger rail service between Hamilton and Auckland, as well as potentially expanding it to Tauranga.
But whether Hamilton East’s Ryan Hamilton, Hamilton West’s Tama Potaka and soon-to-be Labour list MP Georgie Dansey have the combined power to shunt transport minister Chris Bishop and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon onto their line of thinking remains to be seen.
Are you a Te Huia fan? Tell us more in the comments (adding NFP if you don't want your words used in print).
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80.8% Yes
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19.2% No
Share your favourite main crop potato recipe and win a copy of our mag!
Love potatoes? We will give away free copies of the May 2026 issue to readers whose potato recipes are used in our magazine. To be in the running, make sure you email your family's favourite way to enjoy potatoes: mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, by March 1, 2026.
Scam Alert: Bank cold calls
ASB is warning customers about reports of cold calls from scammers claiming to be from ASB. These scammers are trying to obtain personal information, including usernames, dates of birth, and verification codes sent to your mobile phone.
🛡️ The "Caller Check" Test
If you get a call from someone claiming to be from ASB and you’re unsure, just ask them for a Caller Check. You will then be able to verify the call through the app.
Remember, banks will:
❌ Never ask for your banking passwords, PINs, or verification codes
❌ Never need to know your full credit card number – especially the CVC
❌ Never ask you to download software or remotely access your device
❌ Never ask you to purchase gift cards or transfer funds.
If you have received a phone call and think your account has been compromised, call ASB on 0800 ASB FRAUD (0800 272 372), or visit your local branch.
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