New Jersey Lottery
Encyclopedia
The New Jersey Lottery is run by the government of New Jersey
. Its games consist of Powerball
, Mega Millions
, Pick-6, Jersey Cash 5, Pick-4, Pick-3, and scratch tickets. The Lottery is headquartered in the One Lawrence Park Complex in Lawrence Township
, Mercer County
.
New Jersey Lottery players must be at least 18 years old.
The ways to win in the order of payouts from highest to lowest are:
Typically, the straight payout is over $250, and the box payout averages $38. Unlike most lotteries, New Jersey pays winners of Pick-3 and Pick-4 on a parimutuel basis. Multiple wagers of the same number increase winnings if the numbers are matched. The most common Pick-3 wager is Straight and Box combined for $1.00 (50-50).
The ways to win in the order of payouts from highest to lowest are:
As in Pick-3, the most common Pick-4 wager is Straight and Box combined for $1.00. Typically, the straight payout is over $2,000, and the box payout averages $250. Multiple wagers of the same number increase winnings if the numbers are matched.
Jersey Cash 5 began in 1992 as a pick-5-of-38 game. Players won a parimutuel prize by matching at least three numbers. The original version of Jersey Cash 5 did not have a rolling jackpot; instead, if no ticket was a perfect match, the first prize pool was added to second prize winners (those who matched four numbers.) In September 2003, two numbers were added to make Jersey Cash 5 a 5/40 game, and the top prize level was changed to a progressive jackpot
.
Pick-6 began in May 1980 as one of the first games of its kind in the United States. It originally was a pick-6 (hence the name) of 39 numbers. Players paid $1 for each game; a winning ticket needed at least four correct numbers in a game. It later went to a 6/42 matrix, followed by an additional change to 6/46; making even higher jackpots possible. Pick-6, until 2000, also drew a five-digit "bonus" number; an exact match entered the player into a special drawing where the top prize was $50,000 yearly in 20 installments (no cash option.)
The current game is a 6/49, which began in September 2000; no "bonus" number of any kind is drawn. Unlike with the previous matrixes, there is a $3 prize for matching three numbers. Matching at least four numbers wins a parimutuel prize.
On January 31, 2010, many MUSL members (until then offering only Powerball
) joined Mega Millions
; likewise, most Mega Millions members added Powerball; New Jersey offered both games as of the above date.
The Megaplier option, initially available only in Texas
, became available to Mega Millions players in New Jersey during January 2011, the deadline for all 43 Mega Millions (then) members to offer the Megaplier.
and Powerball in U.S. lottery jurisdictions. On January 7, 2010, the New Jersey Lottery announced that it would join Powerball
, effective January 31, 2010; on that date, the 33 MUSL members were joined by 10 lotteries, including New Jersey's, that offered Mega Millions.
On March 13, 2010, New Jersey became the first previously Mega Millions-only jurisdiction to produce a jackpot ticket for Powerball after the cross-sell expansion. The annuity value of the jackpot was over $211 million; the ticket was sold in Morris Plains
.
Powerball's basic game has always had a $1 price; a game with the Power Play option (introduced in 2001) costs $2. In January 2012, the format change for Powerball will include a price increase; games will cost $2 for a basic play, or $3 with Power Play. The minimum jackpot will be doubled, to $40 million; a second-prize game (matching all five white balls, but not also the Powerball) will win $1 million, or $2 million if Power Play was selected.
games, called "Instant Games", with various price points, prizes, formats and themes.
Rather than an all-number field, the game used the 52 cards from a standard deck of playing cards. A $1 bet allowed players to choose five cards on each of three plays. The game was drawn twice a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays. The winning combination was the five "cards" (actually marked balls) drawn. Although a "poker-themed" game, poker hands (four of a kind, full house, flush etc.) were not used to determine winning tickets. Instead, any game matching at least three of the five cards won a parimutuel prize. A ticket with any game matching all five cards won (or shared) the cash jackpot, which started at $200,000 and remained there until sales supported a higher top prize. Unusual at the time, 5 Card Lotto drawings were originally broadcast during the early afternoon, before being shifted to evenings.
(NJN) aired live televised drawings twice a day, seven days a week; midday at 12:57 PM ET and nightly at 7:56 PM ET. NJN also aired the twice-weekly Mega Millions drawings at 10:59 PM every Tuesday and Friday night, as well as the Wednesday and Saturday Powerball drawings at the equivalent time. On July 1, 2011, the New Jersey Lottery became the first lottery in the nation to stream their drawings, live, from the New Jersey Lottery's headquarters on either the New Jersey Lottery's website or the New Jersey Lottery's Ustream
channel. On September 6, 2011, drawings returned to broadcast on television on NJTV
on a one-hour tape delay; the live drawings continue to be held at the Lottery's headquarters and broadcast online.
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. Its games consist of Powerball
Powerball
Powerball is an American lottery game sold in 44 jurisdictions as a shared jackpot game. It is coordinated by the Multi-State Lottery Association , a non-profit organization formed by an agreement with lotteries. Powerball is a game whose advertised jackpot starts at $20 million and can roll into...
, Mega Millions
Mega Millions
Mega Millions is a US multi-jurisdictional $1 lottery game. Since it replaced The Big Game in May 2002 , Mega Millions' advertised jackpots have started at $12 million, paid in 26 yearly installments , increasing when there is no jackpot winner...
, Pick-6, Jersey Cash 5, Pick-4, Pick-3, and scratch tickets. The Lottery is headquartered in the One Lawrence Park Complex in Lawrence Township
Lawrence Township, Mercer County, New Jersey
Area residents often refer to all of Lawrence Township as Lawrenceville. Lawrenceville is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Lawrence Township...
, Mercer County
Mercer County, New Jersey
As of the census of 2000, there were 350,761 people, 125,807 households, and 86,303 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,552 people per square mile . There were 133,280 housing units at an average density of 590 per square mile...
.
New Jersey Lottery players must be at least 18 years old.
Pick-3
Pick-3 is a three-digit draw game drawn twice daily. It began in May 1975 as a daily game; midday drawings were introduced in November 2001. It was originally known as Pick-it; the name changed to Pick-3 in 1987 to distinguish from the newer Pick-4 game.The ways to win in the order of payouts from highest to lowest are:
- Straight - Matching all 3 digits exactly as they are drawn. Minimum play is $.50.
- Wheel - Match all 3 digits in any order and win the straight payout. Minimum play is $1.50 for 2 digits that are the same and a different digit and $3.00 for 3 different digits.
- Box - Matching all 3 digits in any order. Minimum play is $.50.
- Pair - Matching both digits in exact order. Minimum play is $.50.
- Split - Matching both the first and third digits exactly. Minimum play is $.50.
Typically, the straight payout is over $250, and the box payout averages $38. Unlike most lotteries, New Jersey pays winners of Pick-3 and Pick-4 on a parimutuel basis. Multiple wagers of the same number increase winnings if the numbers are matched. The most common Pick-3 wager is Straight and Box combined for $1.00 (50-50).
Pick-4
Pick-4 is a four-digit draw game also drawn twice daily. It was introduced as a weekly game in 1977, became a daily game, and has been a twice-daily game since November 2001.The ways to win in the order of payouts from highest to lowest are:
- Straight - Matching all 4 digits exactly. Minimum play is $.50.
- Box - Matching all 4 digits in any order. Minimum play is $.50.
As in Pick-3, the most common Pick-4 wager is Straight and Box combined for $1.00. Typically, the straight payout is over $2,000, and the box payout averages $250. Multiple wagers of the same number increase winnings if the numbers are matched.
Jersey Cash 5
Jersey Cash 5 is a daily game that draws five balls from 1 through 40. Games cost $1 each. The top prize is a jackpot that grows until there is a 5-of-5 winner.Jersey Cash 5 began in 1992 as a pick-5-of-38 game. Players won a parimutuel prize by matching at least three numbers. The original version of Jersey Cash 5 did not have a rolling jackpot; instead, if no ticket was a perfect match, the first prize pool was added to second prize winners (those who matched four numbers.) In September 2003, two numbers were added to make Jersey Cash 5 a 5/40 game, and the top prize level was changed to a progressive jackpot
Progressive jackpot
A progressive jackpot is a jackpot for a gaming machine where the value of the jackpot increases a small amount for every game played...
.
Pick-6 Lotto
Pick-6 Lotto is drawn on Monday and Thursday evenings. It draws six balls from 1 through 49. Games cost $1 each. The jackpot begins at $2 million (annuitized with a cash option) and increases by at least $200,000 per rollover until there is a 6-of-6 winner.Pick-6 began in May 1980 as one of the first games of its kind in the United States. It originally was a pick-6 (hence the name) of 39 numbers. Players paid $1 for each game; a winning ticket needed at least four correct numbers in a game. It later went to a 6/42 matrix, followed by an additional change to 6/46; making even higher jackpots possible. Pick-6, until 2000, also drew a five-digit "bonus" number; an exact match entered the player into a special drawing where the top prize was $50,000 yearly in 20 installments (no cash option.)
The current game is a 6/49, which began in September 2000; no "bonus" number of any kind is drawn. Unlike with the previous matrixes, there is a $3 prize for matching three numbers. Matching at least four numbers wins a parimutuel prize.
Mega Millions
On September 6, 1996, six lotteries began a multi-jurisdictional game, then known as The Big Game. In 1999, the New Jersey Lottery became its first additional member. The game became known as The Big Game Mega Millions in May 2002; a short time later, the The Big Game part was retired. Mega Millions' jackpots begin at $12 million.On January 31, 2010, many MUSL members (until then offering only Powerball
Powerball
Powerball is an American lottery game sold in 44 jurisdictions as a shared jackpot game. It is coordinated by the Multi-State Lottery Association , a non-profit organization formed by an agreement with lotteries. Powerball is a game whose advertised jackpot starts at $20 million and can roll into...
) joined Mega Millions
Mega Millions
Mega Millions is a US multi-jurisdictional $1 lottery game. Since it replaced The Big Game in May 2002 , Mega Millions' advertised jackpots have started at $12 million, paid in 26 yearly installments , increasing when there is no jackpot winner...
; likewise, most Mega Millions members added Powerball; New Jersey offered both games as of the above date.
The Megaplier option, initially available only in Texas
Texas Lottery
The Texas Lottery is the government-operated lottery available throughout Texas. It is operated by the Texas Lottery Commission, headquartered in downtown Austin.-History:...
, became available to Mega Millions players in New Jersey during January 2011, the deadline for all 43 Mega Millions (then) members to offer the Megaplier.
Powerball
Powerball is a multi-lottery game which began in 1992. On October 13, 2009, the Mega Millions consortium and Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) reached an agreement in principle to cross-sell Mega MillionsMega Millions
Mega Millions is a US multi-jurisdictional $1 lottery game. Since it replaced The Big Game in May 2002 , Mega Millions' advertised jackpots have started at $12 million, paid in 26 yearly installments , increasing when there is no jackpot winner...
and Powerball in U.S. lottery jurisdictions. On January 7, 2010, the New Jersey Lottery announced that it would join Powerball
Powerball
Powerball is an American lottery game sold in 44 jurisdictions as a shared jackpot game. It is coordinated by the Multi-State Lottery Association , a non-profit organization formed by an agreement with lotteries. Powerball is a game whose advertised jackpot starts at $20 million and can roll into...
, effective January 31, 2010; on that date, the 33 MUSL members were joined by 10 lotteries, including New Jersey's, that offered Mega Millions.
On March 13, 2010, New Jersey became the first previously Mega Millions-only jurisdiction to produce a jackpot ticket for Powerball after the cross-sell expansion. The annuity value of the jackpot was over $211 million; the ticket was sold in Morris Plains
Morris Plains, New Jersey
Morris Plains, billing itself "the Community of Caring," is a Borough in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 5,236....
.
Powerball's basic game has always had a $1 price; a game with the Power Play option (introduced in 2001) costs $2. In January 2012, the format change for Powerball will include a price increase; games will cost $2 for a basic play, or $3 with Power Play. The minimum jackpot will be doubled, to $40 million; a second-prize game (matching all five white balls, but not also the Powerball) will win $1 million, or $2 million if Power Play was selected.
Cash/annuity jackpot choice
Unusually, for Pick-6, as well as for Mega Millions and Powerball within New Jersey, players must choose cash or annuity when playing, instead of after winning. The cash option, if chosen, is legally binding; however, a New Jersey-generated annuity ticket that wins a jackpot in any of the three games can be changed to cash. There is no annuity option in Jersey Cash 5, as its jackpot shares are always paid in lump sum.Instant Match
The Lottery offers a form of instant win game known as Instant Match. Available as a $1 add-on to Pick-3, Pick-4 and Jersey Cash 5 tickets, the lottery terminal's random number generator produces a same-sized set of numbers to the main game. If any of the randomly generated numbers match the ticket's chosen numbers, the player wins the indicated prize amount. The maximum prize is $500. It is not available on quick pick tickets; the player must choose their numbers for the main game.Instant Games
The Lottery offers numerous scratchcardScratchcard
A scratchcard is a small card, often made of thin paper-based card for competitions and plastic to conceal PINs, where one or more areas contain concealed information which can...
games, called "Instant Games", with various price points, prizes, formats and themes.
5 Card Lotto
5 Card Lotto was offered from 1988 to 1990. It was the New Jersey Lottery's response to the initial wave of terminal-based lottery games with a higher prize potential than those offered in pick-3 and pick-4 games.Rather than an all-number field, the game used the 52 cards from a standard deck of playing cards. A $1 bet allowed players to choose five cards on each of three plays. The game was drawn twice a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays. The winning combination was the five "cards" (actually marked balls) drawn. Although a "poker-themed" game, poker hands (four of a kind, full house, flush etc.) were not used to determine winning tickets. Instead, any game matching at least three of the five cards won a parimutuel prize. A ticket with any game matching all five cards won (or shared) the cash jackpot, which started at $200,000 and remained there until sales supported a higher top prize. Unusual at the time, 5 Card Lotto drawings were originally broadcast during the early afternoon, before being shifted to evenings.
Lotzee
Lotzee (stylized LOTZEE) was a game offered from March 1998 to September 2003. Originally drawn once a week on Saturdays, it expanded with a Wednesday drawing before being discontinued. It was unpopular with players, who felt the rules, which featured a combination of player- and machine-selected numbers, were too complex and confusing. The top prize was $500,000 cash; although not a progressive jackpot, the prize was split if there were multiple winners.Drawings
The New Jersey NetworkNew Jersey Network
The New Jersey Network, or NJN, was a network of public television and radio stations serving the U.S. state of New Jersey. NJN was a member of the Public Broadcasting Service for television and the National Public Radio for radio, broadcasting their programming as well as producing and...
(NJN) aired live televised drawings twice a day, seven days a week; midday at 12:57 PM ET and nightly at 7:56 PM ET. NJN also aired the twice-weekly Mega Millions drawings at 10:59 PM every Tuesday and Friday night, as well as the Wednesday and Saturday Powerball drawings at the equivalent time. On July 1, 2011, the New Jersey Lottery became the first lottery in the nation to stream their drawings, live, from the New Jersey Lottery's headquarters on either the New Jersey Lottery's website or the New Jersey Lottery's Ustream
Ustream
Ustream is a website which consists of a network of diverse channels providing a platform for lifecasting and live video streaming of events online. Established in March 2007, the site has over 2,000,000 registered users who generate 1,500,000+ hours of live streamed content per month with over ten...
channel. On September 6, 2011, drawings returned to broadcast on television on NJTV
NJTV
NJTV is a public television network serving the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is operated by WNET.org, the parent company of New York City's flagship public television stations, WNET and WLIW...
on a one-hour tape delay; the live drawings continue to be held at the Lottery's headquarters and broadcast online.
Hosts
Former- Renai Ellison
- Joe DeRose
- Meredith Orlow (neé Parker)
- Carmen Delia-Bryant
- Hela YungstHela YungstHela Yungst , also known as Hela Young, was an American television entertainer and beauty pageant winner. She was a promoter of Holocaust awareness and a former president of the New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education.Yungst was born in Israel to parents who were survivors of The Holocaust...
(deceased) - Dick LaRossaDick LaRossaRichard Joseph "Dick" LaRossa is an American Republican Party politician who served two terms in the New Jersey Senate, from 1994 to 2000, where he represented the 15th Legislative District.- Early years and education :...