People cut groceries for Lotto

People tempted by an ‘‘elusive dream’’ may be sacrificing food on the table in order to buy Lotto tickets.

Last week, the biggest jackpot in New Zealand history of $44 million was won by an Auckland couple.

But while the winners celebrated, others may have gone without basic groceries, such as vegetables, to buy tickets, the owners of a supermarket and a vegetable supplier have said.

Both said they noticed a clear drop off in spending every time a large jackpot is on offer.

More than 2.3m tickets were sold in last week’s draw.

Lotto NZ says when there are large jackpots, more people than normal buy tickets.

Palmerston North’s Pioneer New World owner operator Darrin Wong said there was a noticeable dip in food spending.

‘‘I think people don’t quite have as much to spend. There is only so much you can spend.

‘‘It is like every other business, you notice the money is not quite there.’’

Wong said the dip was ‘‘across the board’’, though he could not isolate one area of produce that took a bigger hit than others.

Events like the Melbourne Cup also had an impact.

‘‘You notice the income is not there.’’

Lotto NZ corporate communications general manager Emilia Mazur said it could not comment on what other retailers observe during this time.

‘‘At all times, we remind Kiwis to play responsibly, which is all about having fun, being informed, and knowing your limits. ‘‘

Ohakune vegetable farmer Bruce Rollinson said he noticed a definite link between his sales and big Lotto jackpots.

‘‘In the past, where the jackpot of anything $25m-plus, it does go quiet.

‘‘It is quite horrendous that people put money on gambling [rather] than food on the table.’’

Problem Gambling Foundation NZ marketing and communications director Andree Froude said jackpots enticed people to spend more than they could afford.

‘‘We do know that when we have a really big jackpot there is a change in behaviour of people.

‘‘It is people buying tickets in the hope of winning that elusive dream.

‘‘If someone spends more than they can afford and can’t put food on the table, that is harmful.’’

Jackpots were aggressively advertised, she said.

‘‘It is very ‘in your face’, especially when there is a big jackpot.’’

A former problem gambler, who did not want to be named, said though Lotto was not his primary addiction, it was too prevalent.

‘‘It normalises that kind of behaviour, that gambling was OK, even though I had an issue. Going to the supermarket it was right there.’’

He would still buy tickets even if he could not afford it, being lured in by the hope of a big win to solve his financial problems.

‘‘You don’t see the faces of people who lose.’’