When you play a New Zealand lottery, the Lotteries Commission must pay the prizes to the people who are entitled to them. This is based on the official results of the lottery draw and any rules made under section 243 and provisions specified by the Minister under section 244(1)(a). The Commission follows these rules to make sure the prizes are paid correctly.

If no one wins a prize in a lottery, the prize money is not given away. Instead, you will find that the amount of the prize is kept in the lottery prize fund account. The money is then dealt with according to the rules made under section 243 and provisions specified by the Minister under section 244(1)(a). This ensures the prize money is handled properly.

The rules for handling unclaimed prizes are in place to manage the lottery prize fund account. You can be sure that the Lotteries Commission will retain the prize money and deal with it as required by the rules and provisions. This process is followed to maintain the integrity of the lottery system.