The side managed to get through to 190 when it batted as White Ferns Suzie Bates and Leigh Kasperek both hit 40s.
Central, though, timed its reply well and got home on the first ball of the penultimate over to win by four wickets.
Otago probably did not score quite enough runs in what were reasonably good batting conditions and it has been unable to win two games in a row this season.
Victoria Abbott hit 29 but was a victim of a run out which has been something of a depressing and all too familiar occurrence for the Sparks this season.
The home team had looked good when Bates, playing her 100th one-day game for Otago, was at the wicket with Kasperek.
But the duo fell together at about the same time, around the 100-run mark. Katey Martin and Polly Inglis quickly got out and Otago looked in trouble.
Abbott formed a useful partnership with Isabella James and took the score past 150.
James, though, was bowled by Central skipper Kate Broadmore and the run out of Abbott followed straight after, as Otago once again lost wickets quickly.
Morna Nielsen and Georgia Clarke got the side through to 190 but Otago failed to see out the 50 overs, and was out with four balls left in the innings.
Central bowled 21 wides which helped the Otago cause but, at the break between innings, the target looked a little short for the home team.
In reply, Central also had two players score in the 40s as Michelle Martin and Jess Watkin put up significant scores.
Otago bowled effectively at times but lacked a fifth bowing option and it told near the end.
Abbott went for more than six an over and Central used the power play near the end to its advantage.
Kasperek again put together a tidy spell and took three wickets while conceding just 24 runs off her 10 overs.
Millie Cowan took the wicket of Watkin but Central just got home.
The result meant Central and Otago split the two one-day games over the weekend in Alexandra, with one win each while Central won the twenty20 match on Saturday.
Otago sits in the middle of the pack in the one-day tournament and near the bottom of the T20 competition, having won one of its three games in the shorter version of the game.
The Sparks now have a break until the end of the month when they take on Canterbury in Christchurch.
The final round of games will have Otago playing Wellington at University Oval on the weekend of February 6-8.
