Lotto

Lotto was first broadcast on 1 August 1987 from Auckland. The live draw was hosted by Doug Harvey and Ann Wilson, and the seven balls (six regulation numbers and a bonus) were picked from 40 by 'The Barrel' — the automated number picker. Lotto is the oldest weekly draw run by the Crown-owned Lotteries Commission; over the years several billions of dollars in profits have been distributed to community projects by the Lottery Grants Board. The draw later moved south to Avalon and presenters have included longtimer Hilary Timmins, Grant Kereama, Grant Walker and Marise Wipani.