The visiting side took six for 87 in the opening session on day three and it proved telling, as Auckland went on to win by eight wickets, with a day to spare.
Anaru Kitchen counterattacked with a wonderful century to drag his side through to 205, but Auckland overhauled the modest target of 184 inside 30 overs. Glenn Phillips blasted an undefeated 59 and opener Michael Guptill-Bunce scored 48 from 51 balls.
It was comprehensive win in a game which was evenly poised at the beginning of the day.
Volts coach Rob Walter felt his side lost two crucial sessions which "ultimately decided the result".
"The post-lunch session [on Wednesday] when Colin Munro was going well — we really had them on the ropes but Munro took it away from us there. And [yesterday] morning we lost [six] wickets in a hurry and we were behind the game," Walter said.
"We ended up with a lead of nearly 200 which should have been more like 300."
Munro rescued Auckland’s first innings with 102 from 85 balls. His side had been teetering at 43 for four.
Otago resumed yesterday on six for one and trailed by just 16 runs. It needed a good morning with the bat but the session turned into a nightmare.
Seamer Rajvinder Sandhu caused the most problems. He took four for 16 in a five-over stint and almost got a hat trick.
He caught the glove of Nathan Smith then trapped Derek de Boorder lbw with the next ball.
Kitchen saw off the hat trick ball with the full face of the bat and he needed to, as Sandhu was on target again.
Strangely, with a five-wicket bag in the offering, Auckland did not go back to Sandhu until late in the innings, so he had to settle for final figures of four for 40.
Kitchen and Christi Viljoen combined in 93-run partnership from just 111 balls to provide the innings with some substance.
The pitch had flattened out and Kitchen attacked. He hit 12 fours and five sixes in a sparkling knock of 108 from 101 balls.
He had help from No11 Michael Rae to get through to his ninth first-class century and third this season. The pair combined in a 52-run stand but Rae did not contribute a single run.Kitchen farmed the strike superbly but did leave Rae with five balls to face from fast bowler Lockie Ferguson when he was on 95.
Rae saw off the threat and Kitchen smashed Sandhu over long-on for six to raise the milestone moments later.
