A couple "on the bones of our arses" have stepped forward to claim one of two $17.7 million Powerball prizes.
They have hauled in the fifth-equal largest Powerball prize.
The married couple, who wish to remain anonymous, bought their Lotto Powerball ticket at Dannevirke New World.
"We've been on the bones of our arses forever, and have never won anything before, so this win is just magic, but very hard to take in," the wife told NZ Lotteries.
The pair, who have children, were shocked by their win.
"It didn't seem real, we had been joking all Saturday about what we would do if we won, and now we actually had.
"Now all those things we talked about doing are actually possible, like buying a business so we don't have to work for anyone any more, looking after the kids' futures, helping out family and charities and taking off on some overseas trips. This will set us up for life."
The wife kept the winning ticket in the drawer of her bedside cabinet, before they officially claimed at a Waipawa Lotto store.
"We drove a while to another town, hoping that no one would recognise us," she said.
Their ticket was validated yesterday.
It was just chance that they made this week's purchase at New World Dannevirke.
"We like to think that small towns are luckier though."
The couple said they were looking forward to getting some sleep.
"We didn't sleep a wink all Saturday night. We just kept tossing and turning as we couldn't believe that we had won."
They both planned to go to work today despite their big win.
The other winning $17.7m Powerball ticket for Saturday's record draw was sold at Take Note Dinsdale in Hamilton. That prize has not yet been claimed.
