South Africa’s New Lottery Operator Marks 100 Days with More Than R1 Billion in Winnings

South Africa’s new National Lottery operator, Sizekhaya Holdings, has marked its first 100 days in charge with more than R1 billion in winnings paid across millions of winning entries.

Sizekhaya officially took over operation of the National Lottery and Sports Pools on 1 June 2026, replacing Ithuba following a year-long transitional period. The changeover took place without interruption to scheduled draws or players’ ability to purchase tickets and claim prizes.

Within just three days of taking control, the operator had its first major jackpot winner when a KwaZulu-Natal player claimed approximately R128 million in PowerBall.

More Than 12 Million Winning Entries

According to figures released to mark the milestone, Sizekhaya recorded 12,112,325 winning entries during its first three months across games including PowerBall, PowerBall Xtra, Lotto Plus 1 and Lotto 5 Max.

Those winners shared a combined R1,074,688,314 in prize money.

Several particularly large jackpots were won during the period.

The three R45.7 million PowerBall Xtra prizes were particularly unusual. The jackpot cascaded after no player matched the full winning combination, shifting the prize pool into the next winning division and producing three multimillionaires from a single draw.

Sizekhaya chief operating officer Fundi Sithebe said the company's first 100 days had shown both the scale of the operation and the continuing popularity of the National Lottery.

“We are proud to have delivered a smooth transition and a reliable National Lottery service from day one.”

She added that the clearest measure of the opening period was the number of players whose lives had been changed by prizes ranging from smaller everyday wins to multimillion-rand jackpots.

New Games and More Ways to Play

The change of operator has also brought several noticeable changes for South African lottery players.

PowerBall Plus was replaced by PowerBall Xtra, while Lotto Plus 2 became Lotto 5 Max. Changes were also made to some number ranges and game formats.

Sizekhaya Holdings has introduced cascading jackpots, where certain jackpot pools can move down into lower prize divisions rather than continuing to roll over indefinitely.

The operator has also restored live televised lottery draws, allowing viewers to watch winning numbers being selected in real time.

Scratch Cards and USSD play have returned, while lottery tickets remain available through major banking platforms and retailers.

By the 100-day mark, Sizekhaya said it had 6,505 active retail terminals across all nine provinces. A partnership with the South African Post Office has also made ticket purchases and qualifying prize claims available at 60 post office branches.

After only 100 days, South Africa's latest National Lottery era has certainly started with plenty of winners.

The wider gambling market has also become more tailored to local players, with many online platforms now supporting rand-denominated accounts and payments. For players who prefer to manage deposits, bonuses and withdrawals in local currency, Casino.com’s ZAR casino guide explains how South African rand casino options work and what to look for when choosing a suitable site.