NJ Lottery Office open by APPOINTMENT ONLY. CLICK FOR DETAILS
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
The New Jersey Lottery appreciates feedback and suggestions from its players. However, the New Jersey Lottery works within the international Lottery industry and relies on suppliers within the industry for its game designs. Individuals who are interested in putting forth new games should consult with industry experts.
To protect your product or intellectual property you should also seek appropriate legal advice from a professional. Also, please note that the New Jersey Lottery does not compensate individuals for game ideas or designs that are submitted for consideration. Any ideas submitted become the property of the New Jersey Lottery.
Quick Draw Progressive can be purchased at any licensed New Jersey Lottery retailer.
Each Quick Draw Progressive play costs a minimum of $1 no matter how many numbers you choose to play.
You can purchase up to 20 drawings in a row.
Your ticket will play for the drawings on the next day starting at 5:04 a.m.
Each number you select is called a spot. You may select from 1 to 10 Spots on each play.
A ticket can only be canceled PRIOR to the first drawing the ticket is valid for.
Yes, Quick Draw Progressive tickets can be cashed at ANY New Jersey Lottery Retailer.
You have one year past the last drawing on your ticket to check if it is a winning ticket.
The available Add-Ons for Quick Draw Progressive are Multiplier, BULLSEYE and Double BULLSEYE.
No, a player must purchase a minimum of $1 on Quick Draw Progressive to receive their Jackpot Numbers eligible for the Progressive Jackpot.
Yes, a player can win a regular Quick Draw Progressive prize and a portion or all of the Progressive Jackpot.
There are five ways a player can win a prize when adding Double BULLSEYE:
- Match your Quick Draw Progressive numbers to the GREEN BULLSEYE or RED BULLSEYE number drawn with no other Quick Draw Progressive numbers matching those numbers drawn.
- Match your Quick Draw Progressive numbers to the Double BULLSEYE or BULLSEYE number drawn with other Quick Draw Progressive numbers matching those numbers drawn.
- Match your Quick Draw Progressive numbers to the Double BULLSEYE and BULLSEYE numbers drawn with no other Quick Draw Progressive numbers matching those numbers drawn.
- Match your Quick Draw Progressive numbers to the Double BULLSEYE and BULLSEYE numbers drawn with other Quick Draw Progressive numbers matching those numbers drawn.
- Match your Quick Draw Progressive numbers to the numbers drawn with no Double BULLSEYE or BULLSEYE numbers matched.
No, the only way to win a prize when matching the GREEN BULLSEYE is to add Double BULLSEYE to your wager. BULLSEYE wagers are applicable to the RED BULLSEYE only.
No, players must match all nine Jackpot Numbers to the Winning Numbers drawn to win a portion, or all, of the Progressive Jackpot.
Amount Per Draw = Total Ticket Price (Including Add-Ons) / # of Draws
Yes, if a player purchases a Quick Draw Progressive ticket for more than one drawing, the Jackpot Numbers printed at the bottom of the ticket are eligible for each drawing on the ticket.
Yes, when a player asks for a Quick Pick they must also specify the number of spots to play and the terminal randomly selects the Quick Draw Progressive numbers ONLY. When a player asks for an E-Z Play the terminal randomly selects the number of Spots AND Quick Draw Progressive numbers for an individual play.
CASH POP can be purchased at any New Jersey Lottery licensed retailer.
Each CASH POP number selected costs a minimum of $1 no matter how many numbers you choose to play.
By selecting to “COVER ALL”, you will play all 15 numbers in a single play.
You can purchase up to four (4) drawings in a row.
Your ticket will play for the drawings on the next day starting at 5:15AM.
CASH POP tickets CANNOT be cancelled.
Yes, CASH POP tickets can be cashed at ANY New Jersey Lottery Retailer.
You have one (1) year past the last drawing on your ticket to check if it is a winning ticket.
Yes, just ask your retailer to Play It Again. You will receive a new ticket with the same number(s) selected. Prize amounts are randomly assigned and may vary on your new ticket.
Guaranteed Prize Amounts set a constant (fixed) prize amount for each Pick-3 and Pick-4 wager type. When a ticket wins, it is awarded a fixed guaranteed amount regardless of how many other tickets are eligible to win that same prize. The amount won is always the same (based on the wager), regardless of the draw or specific winning number combination. See the Pick-3 ODDS & PRIZES page for more information.
Yes, some number combinations may be sold out if there are too many wagers on that number combination.
Yes, Fixed Prizes will apply to FIREBALL.
This is a convenient way to play all possible Straight combinations of the three numbers you’ve chosen. Win if you match the winning numbers in any order. Since this is a combination bet, the base wager amount is multiplied by the number of possible combinations. See the Pick-3 ODDS AND PRIZES page for more information on how to play Pick-3.
Pair Bets allow you to select only two numbers. Match the first two (Front Pair), last two (Back Pair), or first and last (Split Pair) winning numbers and win! See the Pick-3 ODDS AND PRIZES page for more information on how to play Pick-3.
By adding FIREBALL for the same price as your base wager amount, you can create winning combinations by replacing a Lottery drawn winning number with the FIREBALL number. See the Pick-3 ODDS AND PRIZES page for more information on how to play Pick-3 FIREBALL.
No, with FIREBALL, the Lottery is creating new FIREBALL winning combinations by replacing each Lottery drawn winning numbers with the FIREBALL number. That means that your individual numbers don’t change because they aren’t replaced with the FIREBALL number.
Guaranteed Prize Amounts set a constant (fixed) prize amount for each Pick-3 and Pick-4 wager type. When a ticket wins, it is awarded a fixed guaranteed amount regardless of how many other tickets are eligible to win that same prize. The amount won is always the same (based on the wager), regardless of the draw or specific winning number combination. See the Pick-4 ODDS & PRIZES page for more information.
Yes, some number combinations may be closed out if there are too many wagers on that number combination.
Yes, Fixed Prizes will apply to FIREBALL.
There's really no difference - they all refer to a "boxed" number - it's just that we need to let people know that some combinations of digits in a four-digit number give you more chances to win, and some give you less.
A 24-way box is just a way of referring to any four-digit number that is made up of all different digits, like 1234. It's called that because, with a number like 1234, there are 24 possible four-digit combinations of those different digits.
A 12-way box is just a way of referring to any four-digit number that contains two digits that are the same, like 1123. With a number like 1123 (where there are two identical digits in the four-digit number), there are only 12 possible four-digit combinations of the three different digits.
A 6-way box is just a way of referring to any four-digit number that contains two sets of digits that are the same, like 1122. With a number like 1122 (where there are two identical pairs of digits in the four-digit number), there are only six possible four-digit combinations of the two different digits.
A 4-way box is just a way of referring to any four-digit number that contains three digits that are the same, like 1112. With a number like 1112 (where there are three identical digits in the four-digit number), there are only four possible four-digit combinations of the two different digits.
See the Pick-4 ODDS AND PRIZES page for more information on how to play Pick-4.
Pair Bets allow you to select only two numbers. Match the first two (Front Pair) or last two (Back Pair) winning numbers and win! See the Pick-4 ODDS AND PRIZES page for more information on how to play Pick-4.
By adding FIREBALL for the same price as your base wager amount, you can create winning combinations by replacing a Lottery drawn winning number with the FIREBALL number. See the Pick-4 ODDS AND PRIZES page for more information on how to play Pick-4 FIREBALL.
No, with FIREBALL, the Lottery is creating new FIREBALL winning combinations by replacing each Lottery drawn winning numbers with the FIREBALL number. That means that your individual numbers don’t change because they aren’t replaced with the FIREBALL number.
Jersey Cash 5 has a guaranteed starting jackpot of $150,000. Each Jersey Cash 5 wager is $2.00 per play, per draw and includes BULLSEYE. XTRA may also be added for an additional $1.00 per play, per draw. See the Jersey Cash 5 XTRA Odds and Prizes page for more information.
XTRA gives players the chance to increase non-jackpot prizes by 1X, 2X, 3X, 4X or 5X. XTRA costs an additional $1.00 per play, per draw.
The BULLSEYE number will be the fifth (last) number drawn for each Jersey Cash 5 drawing.
There are three ways to win with BULLSEYE:
- A player matches two of the five winning numbers, where one of the two matches is the BULLSEYE number.
- A player matches three of the five winning numbers, where one of the three matches is the BULLSEYE number.
- A player matches four of the five winning numbers, where one of the four matches is the BULLSEYE number.
Yes, XTRA multiplies both BULLSEYE and non-BULLSEYE prize tiers. XTRA does not multiply the jackpot prize.
Pick-6 has a guaranteed starting jackpot of $2,000,000. Each Pick-6 wager is $2.00 per play, per draw and includes XTRA, the randomized multiplier. Double Play may also be added for an additional $1.00 per play, per draw. See the Pick-6 Double Play Odds and Prizes page for more information.
Double Play gives players an additional chance to win a separate set of prizes from a second set of winning numbers. Double Play is an additional $1.00 per play, per draw. A player’s Pick-6 numbers are the same for the Double Play drawing.
No. The XTRA multiplier is included in every Pick-6 play. A unique XTRA multiplier will randomly be generated and printed on each ticket. The XTRA multiplier multiplies non-jackpot prizes by 1X, 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X or 10X.
Yes. XTRA applies to all non-jackpot prizes.
Yes. The default payout option is Annuity. However, players may choose the Cash option.
No. The Double Play jackpot is a $250,000 cash prize based on a single winner.
The Double Play drawing will occur immediately following the Pick-6 base game drawing using a second drawing machine containing the same numbers pool of 6 of 46.
Players must select at the time of purchase how they want to be paid when they win the jackpot. If a choice is not made at the time of purchase, the payment option will default to Annuity. The Annuity option can be changed to the Lump Sum Cash option at the time of prize claim. A choice of the Lump Sum Cash option at the time of purchase cannot be changed to the Annuity option at the time of prize claim.
Every Mega Millions state has their advanced play or multi-draw limits set by their individual game rules and policies. The New Jersey Lottery limits eight draw advanced play to limit the liability and protect both the retailer and the consumer should an error be made on the purchase of a ticket. Click here for all information regarding Mega Millions.
The first five balls (the Mega Millions numbers) are drawn from a pool of balls numbered 1-70. The Mega Ball number is drawn from a separate group of balls numbered 1-25. Since there are two different pools of balls, you have the possibility that you may draw the same number for the Mega Ball number that you've drawn as one of the five Mega Millions numbers.
To win a prize for the Mega Millions:
Match |
Prizes |
Match 5 White Balls + MEGA BALL |
Jackpot |
Match 5 White Balls |
$1,000,000 |
Match 4 White Balls + MEGA BALL |
$10,000 |
Match 4 White Balls |
$500 |
Match 3 White Balls + MEGA BALL |
$200 |
Match 3 White Balls |
$10 |
Match 2 White Balls + MEGA BALL |
$10 |
Match 1 White Ball + MEGA BALL |
$4 |
Match 0 White Balls + MEGA BALL |
$2 |
The odds of hitting a Mega Millions jackpot are 1 in 302,575,350, but the overall odds of winning (any of the prizes) are 1 in 24.
This was a disputed Mega Millions jackpot ticket. Because two parties disputed the rightful claim of the ticket, the Superior Court of New Jersey temporarily held the amount of money until the judge ruled in favor of the couple who actually held the winning ticket, the Davises of Englewood.
Players must select at the time of purchase how they want to be paid when they win the jackpot. If a choice is not made at the time of purchase, the payment option will default to Annuity. The Annuity option can be changed to the Lump Sum Cash option at the time of prize claim. A choice of the Lump Sum Cash option at the time of purchase cannot be changed to the Annuity option at the time of prize claim.
The first five balls (the Powerball numbers) are drawn from a pool of balls numbered 1-69. The Red Power Ball number is drawn from a separate group of balls numbered 1/26. Since there are two different pools of balls, you have the possibility that you may draw the same number for the Red Power Ball number that you've drawn as one of the five Powerball numbers. See the Powerball ODDS AND PRIZES page for more information on how to play Powerball.
The cash prizes for both games are the amounts needed to fund the purchase of bonds to satisfy the respective annuity amounts for both games. The annuity for Powerball, however, is a graduated annuity; payments in that annuity increase over time, and the overall length of the annuity payout period is longer. Mega Millions annuity payments are the same from year to year, which requires the use of a different type of annuity than what Powerball uses. You see a difference in the cash payouts because the bonds to fund each of these different types of annuities have different costs.
See the ODDS AND PRIZES page for more information on how to play Powerball.
The odds of hitting a Powerball jackpot are 1 in 292,201,338, but the overall odds of winning (any of the prizes) are 1 in 25. See the Powerball ODDS AND PRIZES page for more information on how to play Powerball.
Players must select at the time of purchase how they want to be paid when they win the jackpot. If a choice is not made at the time of purchase, the payment option will default to Annuity. The Annuity option can be changed to the Lump Sum Cash option at the time of prize claim. A choice of the Lump Sum Cash option at the time of purchase cannot be changed to the Annuity option at the time of prize claim.
Powerball costs $2 per play, per draw, and Double Play® is $1 more per play per draw equaling a minimum $3 total.
No. Any Double Play® prizes won cannot be multiplied using the Power Play option. Power Play only applies to any base game prizes won.
No. The Double Play® prizes will consist of a pari-mutuel fixed jackpot top prize of $10M cash with no annuity option and eight fixed secondary cash prize levels.
No, older play slips that do not include the Double Play® add on will not be able to be used.
CASH4LIFE DOUBLER Tickets will be sold every day during the normal business hours of the Retailers authorized to sell CASH4LIFE tickets, or other means authorized by the Lottery. The sale period for any particular CASH4LIFE lottery Drawing will terminate on the date of the Drawing at approximately 8:45 p.m. Eastern Time.
Yes, CASH4LIFE DOUBLER has a Play it Again Feature. A Player may request that a Retailer utilize the barcode of an already purchased CASH4LIFE DOUBLER Ticket to produce another Ticket of the same price and with the same number selections and options for a future DRAWING.
A complete list of rules for the CASH4LIFE DOUBLER game can be found on the New Jersey Lottery's website, click here.
With the Cash Ball only having four options, we wanted to give the players the opportunity to Quick Pick the five numbers but still be able to select which Cash Ball they wish to play.
Players must select at the time of purchase how they want to be paid when they win the jackpot or second-level prize. If a choice is not made at the time of purchase, the payment option will default to Annuity. The Annuity option can be changed to the Lump Sum Cash option at the time of prize claim. A choice of the Lump Sum Cash option at the time of purchase cannot be changed to the Annuity option at the time of prize claim.
A list of remaining prizes can be viewed in the "SCRATCH-OFFS" section on our website. This portion of the website is updated daily.
A minimum of 30 percent of the Lottery's unclaimed prize money is turned over to the State for the benefit of educational programs or state institutions, as per the legislation which established the State Lottery.
However, the Lottery has traditionally far exceeded this 30 percent minimum, and given nearly all unclaimed prize dollars to support education and institutions. A very small percentage of unclaimed prize funds are reserved to support future prize promotions.
These tickets are destroyed after the conclusion of the auditing process.
The expiration and game end dates for Scratch-Offs are dependent upon sales and demand.
To find out when a Scratch-Offs game is scheduled to end or is about to expire, please visit the "SCRATCH-OFFS" section on our website. This portion of the website is updated daily.
We get winners all the time, from all over the state, including a record-setting $190 million Mega Millions winner in Cape May County, and another winner of $82.5 million in Mega Millions, also won by a Cape May County couple.
However, please keep in mind that odds don't care about geography. In some areas of New Jersey, though, there are more people and more businesses, which means more possible sites for Lottery retailers and a larger pool of potential Lottery players (for instance, counties like Hudson, Essex, Bergen, and Union are more populated than counties like Hunterdon, Warren, or Sussex). The number of people playing does not change the odds, but the more people that are playing in a given area, the more opportunities for one of them to have a winning ticket.
On the main pages for each of our live-drawing games, you will find a Search Magnifying glass. This will open the search feature. At this time you can search by Numbers and Date. If you use the calendar feature it will only return 2 years’ worth of data.
You can file a claim form to collect your winnings. If you do not have a Social Security Number, you must provide the following information to claim your prize. When filling in the claim form, you must list your passport number and the name of the country from where you come. (This information can be put in boxes 11 and 12 on the Lottery Claim Form.) We would issue a check, less 30 percent federal withholding, which we are required by law to deduct if the person is an alien.
If the person claiming the prize is not the resident on record at the address where they are residing, and the check is being sent to that address, they have to put "c/o (name of person with whom they are residing)" on the line beneath their name on the claim form. This will assure delivery of the check.
If you have a winning ticket that cannot be redeemed at a retailer for any reason, sign the back of your original ticket, obtain a claim form from any New Jersey Lottery Retailer and fill it out at the retailer. Then mail the original claim form along with your questionable ticket and the validation receipt in the self-addressed, postage paid envelope provided, to the following address:
New Jersey Lottery
Attn: Validations
P.O. Box 041
Trenton, NJ 08625-0041
Include a brief note explaining the issue and ensure that your contact information is correct so that we may reach out to you with any questions. You retain a copy of the Claim Form as proof of submission of a ticket. Also, you may want to make a copy of your ticket and Claim Form for your records.
If you have a questionable ticket that cannot be redeemed at a retailer for any reason, sign the back of your original ticket, obtain a claim form from any New Jersey Lottery Retailer and fill it out at the retailer. Then mail the original claim form along with your questionable ticket and the validation receipt in the self-addressed, postage paid envelope provided, to the following address:
New Jersey Lottery
Attn: Validations
P.O. Box 041
Trenton, NJ 08625-0041
Include a brief note explaining the issue and ensure that your contact information is correct so that we may reach out to you with any questions. You retain a copy of the Claim Form as proof of submission of a ticket. Also, you may want to make a copy of your ticket and Claim Form for your records.
NJ Lottery Offers Four Ways to Claim Prizes - SEE DETAILS
You are welcome to come to the Lottery's Headquarters and submit your claim in person. However, visiting the Lottery does not result in immediate payment of your prize. Because the New Jersey Lottery does not have the legal authority to cut checks on behalf of the State of New Jersey, all claims require up to two to three weeks for processing and payment.
There is a policy regarding the cashing of winning tickets.
The State Lottery Law
N.J.S.A. 5:9-1 et seq.
5:9-7 Commission; powers and duties
Section a (5 )"The manner of payment of prizes to the holders of winning tickets or shares, including, subject to the approval of the State Treasurer, provision for payment of prizes not to exceed $599.00 by agents licensed hereunder out of moneys received from sales of tickets and shares."
While we ask that our agents always cash in any and all winning tickets they may receive that are under $599.00, we also understand that, for valid business reasons, this may not always be able to occur.
Since we request that Lottery funds be kept separate from the "regular store" funds, the funds may not always be available to cash a large (and sometimes even a small) winning ticket. The reasons for this can range from the time that the winner is trying to cash their ticket (the agent hasn't done enough business at that point to cover the amount of the win) to the Lottery funds depleted from paying out on a number of winning claims already.
Please keep in mind, we offer these as explanations, not excuses. While it is up to each of our agents to operate their individual businesses in their own particular way, it is still in their best interest to cash in winning tickets, since they receive a commission on the tickets they do cash.
NJ Lottery Offers Four Ways to Claim Prizes - SEE DETAILS
Prizes of up to $599.50 should be redeemed directly from the retailer. Prizes of $600 and over require the completion of a New Jersey Lottery Claim Form, which can be mailed or delivered to Lottery Headquarters. Winners of top prizes often prefer to hand deliver their winning tickets, but it is not required. Hand delivering your claim form will not result in immediate payment. All claims require up to least two to three weeks for processing.
Prizes over $5,000.00 are subject to applicable federal withholding taxes, which will be deducted from your prize award payment. Please sign the back of your original ticket(s).
For out of state winners:
Please sign the back of your original ticket(s).
Then, download, fill out and print a Claim Form (pdf) and instructions.
The New Jersey Lottery also suggests that you make a copy of your Claim Form and the tickets (front & back) in the rare event of a delay or loss in the mail.
Staple your tickets to the Claim Form. Enclose the Claim Form and tickets in an envelope and mail to:
NEW JERSEY LOTTERY COMMISSION
P.O. BOX 041
TRENTON , NJ 08625-0041
For more information, please call the Lottery's Customer Service Department at 1-800-222-0996. All winners, tickets, transactions, drawings, prizes and prize payments are subject to New Jersey Lottery Rules and Regulations and State Law.
If you question the result on an instant or live-drawing ticket, sign the back of your original ticket(s), obtain a claim form from any New Jersey Lottery Retailer and fill it out at the retailer. Then mail the original claim form along with your questionable ticket and the validation receipt in the self-addressed, postage paid envelope provided, to the following address:
New Jersey Lottery
Attn: Validations
P.O. Box 041
Trenton , NJ 08625-0041
You retain a copy of the Claim Form as proof of submission of a ticket. Also, you may want to make a copy of your ticket and Claim Form for your records.
We are currently making several improvements to our claims and payments process that will ultimately result in faster claim processing. However due to the implementation of these improvements, our current claim processing is taking 4 to 6 weeks from the time we receive your claim to when the payment is received by the winner. We truly appreciate your patience and support during our upgrades. If you wish to find out more about the status of your winning ticket claim, please contact Lottery's Customer Service Department at 1-800-222-0996.
Prizes of $599.50 or less can be redeemed at Lottery retailers. Prizes of $600 or more must be redeemed by New Jersey Lottery Claim Form. Prizes are subject to federal tax withholding at the time of payment. The group should assign one person to serve as the contact.
The CONTACT person should sign and complete the New Jersey Lottery Claim Form on behalf of the group.
The CONTACT person's Social Security Number will be entered on Line 9 of the Claim Form and will serve as the primary recipient of the prize.
IRS form 5754 must be completed in order to share the prize and related taxes (if applicable).
IT IS UP TO THE GROUP TO MAKE COPIES OF THE TICKET, AND ALL CLAIM FORMS FOR MEMBERS OF THE GROUP
While the New Jersey Lottery recommends that winners seek professional financial and tax advice, it does not offer such advice or refer winners to specific individuals.
All winners, tickets, transactions, drawings, prizes and prize payments are subject to New Jersey Lottery Rules and Regulations and State Law. In the case of a married couple that files a joint tax return, a single claim form can be filed and a single check will be processed.
A group can claim a term annuity prize, and the Lottery would send separate checks to each winner each year. Please note, though, that this is only for term annuities. Life annuities (like those associated with our "Win for Life" instant ticket game) can only be claimed by one person. Also, if a group chooses the annuity option, they have the option of requesting that the New Jersey Lottery sell that annuity on their behalf within 60 days. However, the sale will be governed by the market rates at the time of sale, and therefore, you could possibly lose money or increase your winnings based on the rates at the time of sale.
Any instant ticket - like our "Win for Life" instant ticket - that involves a life annuity (where the length of the annuity is based upon the duration of a person's life rather than a set term) is paid to one person only. If that one person wants to give a share to another person, they can file an IRS Form 5754 with the IRS, but the Lottery won't give out separate checks, and any accounting that arises would have to be done by the winner.
Yes, winners of the New Jersey Lottery may choose to remain anonymous. However, to file a claim, proper identification must be presented for internal processing and for reporting to the Internal Revenue Service. For more information, see: The State Lottery Law, N.J.S.A. 5:9-1 et seq.
In the past, players have asked questions about trusts and other legal constructs to use as vehicles to claim their prizes. If you have questions about those legal constructs, you must consult a legal professional. The Lottery cannot assist you with legal questions.
Pick-3 and Pick-4: Every day at approximately 12:59 p.m. and 10:57 p.m. ET
Jersey Cash 5: Every day at approximately 10:57 p.m. ET
Pick-6: Mondays and Thursdays at approximately 10:57 p.m. ET
5 Card Cash: Every night at approximately 10:57 p.m. ET
CASH4LIFE: Every night at approximately 9 p.m. ET
Mega Millions: Tuesday and Friday evenings at approximately 11:00 p.m. ET
Powerball: Wednesday and Saturday evenings at approximately 10:59 p.m. ET
The New Jersey Lottery holds drawings every day of the year, except on December 25. However, because Powerball, Mega Millions and CASH4LIFE are multi-state games and some other states do have drawings on December 25, regularly scheduled Powerball, Mega Millions and CASH4LIFE drawings can and do take place that day.
There are multiple sets of balls rotated daily for each of our live drawing games. A card is selected each drawing to indicate the set of balls to be used for that draw. The balls for all games are rotated or changed at least once a month. In addition, all Lottery balls used for the drawings are routinely checked and certified by the New Jersey Office of Weights and Measures.
The New Jersey Lottery, by law, must be a "game of chance." Our drawings are completely random and the New Jersey Lottery takes precautions to ensure that each and every drawing held is a random drawing.
All New Jersey Lottery drawings are conducted under the auspices of an independent auditing firm (Mercadien P.C.). Each and every drawing is conducted according to a strict set of procedures. The equipment used is randomly selected and thoroughly tested prior to each drawing. All Lottery balls used for the drawings are routinely checked and certified by the New Jersey Office of Weights and Measures. For security reasons information concerning the drawing procedures and drawing equipment is not publicly available.
All drawings randomly select the winning numbers and each drawing is independent, meaning the outcome of any prior drawing has no influence or bearing on the next drawing. Randomness is infinite and cannot be tested. Only the absence of randomness can be detected.
Yes! If you are interested in attending a live drawing at Lottery Headquarters, contact us at 609-599-5801 to make an appointment. The Midday and Evening Drawings are conducted every day, except December 25.
For all prizes in any of our live drawing games, you have up to one year from the date of the original drawing within which to cash in your winning ticket. After that, the ticket is expired and can no longer be claimed.
Scratch-Offs expire one year after the announced end of game. For individual Scratch-Offs game information, please consult the "SCRATCH-OFFS" section of our website.
When you are looking for draw game results that are less than a year old, you will need to go to that particular draw game's homepage on our website. There, you will find the "Winning Numbers." This will provide you with winning numbers results that are less than a year old.
When you are looking for draw game results that are over a year old, you will need to go to that particular draw game's homepage on our website. On any draw game page you can select the Search Magnifying glass. This will open the search feature. At this time you can search by Numbers and Date. We are working to have this be independent of each other. If you use the calendar feature it will only return 2 years’ worth of data.
To receive the daily winning numbers emails, you must be a VIP Club Member. It is quick and free to join. Register Now!
Your questions would best be directed to the Legalized Games of Chance Commission, a Division within the Department of Law and Public Safety. You can contact them here, or call (973)-273-8000.
New Jersey Lottery promotional items are distributed only through events the Lottery sponsors or directly participates in.
Consequently, we are unable to comply with direct requests by individuals or organizations to supply promotional items, either for personal use or for organizational events.
However, for organizations that host a New Jersey Lottery Where The Money Goes Community Outreach presentation, we do provide to everyone in the audience a gift packet containing some Lottery promotional items. Presentations are offered for groups of 15 or more, and consist of a 10-12 minute PowerPoint presentation conducted by a member of our Public Information Office staff. It is followed by a Q&A session and some interesting stories about Lottery winners and their unusual reactions to winning large amounts of money, as well as the varied ways players pick their winning numbers. Visit the Giving Back/Community Outreach section of our website for additional information, or contact the Public Information Office directly at 609-599-5875.
The New Jersey Lottery’s VIP Club is a FREE service that offers members the ability to stay up-to-date emails, push notifications or an exclusive text program. Members can opt to receive Daily Winning Numbers notification, early notifications regarding new games, and chances to be entered in Sweepstakes and Opt-In Drawings. And from time to time, VIP Club members will receive discounts or FREE coupons for New Jersey Lottery products, and occasionally be asked for their opinions via short survey emails. VIP Club members always have the option to select the type of messages they wish to receive and may opt-out of notifications at any time.
Click on the Forgot Password? Enter your email address and then type in your hint word that you entered when you signed up for the VIP Club. Your password will be emailed to you.
I no longer want to receive email from the New Jersey Lottery. How do I unsubscribe from this email?
You can make changes to your email preferences by updating your VIP Club Profile by following these easy steps:
1.Log on to the VIP Club.
2.Click on the "My Preferences" in the left hand menu.
3.Make your selections by checking or unchecking the boxs and click on "SAVE."
The Lottery Winning Number Results email is sent out every day at 5 a.m. to all subscribers as a bulk email. You or your email service provider may have set preferences on your email service to prevent you from receiving bulk emails. Please contact your email service provider if you are not receiving your Winning Numbers Results email.
Sweepstakes and Opt-In Drawings are available exclusively to VIP Club members who have selected to receive “Sweepstakes and Opt-In Drawings” emails from the New Jersey Lottery. By clicking on the identified link in an Opt-In Drawing email or following the instructions within the body of an Opt-In Sweepstakes email, you will be entered in a drawing for the prize named in the email. You may also SIGN IN to your VIP Club profile, go to the “Opt-In Sweepstakes” page and click on the identified button, if available. A winner will then be selected only from those who have “opted in.”
Simply do not click on the “Enter Here” link and delete the email. Entry will only be for those who specifically click on the link.
Many VIP Club emails are sent out as bulk emails and according to email settings with service providers, some emails may arrive at different times in the day. You or your email service provider may have set preferences on your email service to prevent you from receiving bulk emails in a timely manner. Please contact your email service provider if you have questions about how your emails are being delivered. It is also respectfully suggested that you add vipclub@njlottery.com to your contacts list to help ensure delivery.
You must be a member of the VIP Club to submit non-winning ticket entries for Million Dollar Replay, Lottery Bonus Zone second chance promotions, and any other second chance drawing programs. Entries into second chance drawings are not accepted via the U.S. mail or any other method. Entering non-winning tickets online is an option available only to VIP Club members.
In order to prevent New Jersey Lottery emails from going directly to your “junk email” file, simply add the New Jersey Lottery to your “Contacts” or “Address Book” for your email account that is registered for your VIP Club membership.
The New Jersey Lottery does not have the capability of direct deposit.
Federal Income Tax. Federal law requires the New Jersey Lottery to withhold 24 percent from any prize of more than $5,000. A higher federal withholding rate of 30 percent applies to any prize of $600 or more paid to a winner who does not furnish a taxpayer identification (social security) number.
New Jersey Gross Income Tax. State law requires the New Jersey Lottery to withhold State tax at the rate of 5 percent from any prize in excess of $10,000 and up to $500,000 or 8 percent from any prize in excess of $500,000. The higher State withholding rate of 8 percent also applies to any prize in excess of $10,000 paid to a winner who does not furnish a taxpayer identification (social security) number.
Tax Returns. After the end of the year, the Lottery will send each winner a Form W2-G report showing the amount of Lottery prize payments to be reported as income and the amounts of federal and State taxes withheld to be reported as credits on the winner’s federal and State tax returns.
Additional Information. For additional information about taxation of Lottery prizes, visit the US Internal Revenue Service website, the New Jersey Division of Taxation website, or consult a professional tax advisor.
Both New Jersey and non-New Jersey winners are subject to the federal withholding tax of 24 percent. For information on how New Jersey State withholding taxes apply to winners who live outside New Jersey. For additional information about taxation of Lottery prizes, visit the US Internal Revenue Service website, the New Jersey Division of Taxation website, or consult a professional tax advisor.
If an annuity winner dies before their annuity period ends, the monies would go to their estate. The Lottery's Finance Section would have to be furnished with a copy of the death certificate. They would process the remaining annuity payments to the person(s) specified in the decedent's will.
If the annuity was for a Mega Millions, Powerball or Pick-6 win, the annuity would continue for the number of years remaining in the original term.
In the case of "Life" annuities (such as for the "Win for Life" Scratch-Offs), should the winner die before the payments reach the $1 million amount, their estate would receive annuity payments up to $1 million. If the annuity payment amount had already reached $1 million, no other payments would be forthcoming to the estate.
However, if you die without a will, this becomes a legal question that would follow estate law. All Lottery proceeds would be subject to the direction of the courts.
Prizes unclaimed after one year are forfeited. By law, a minimum of 30 percent of the amount must return to the state as revenue.
In recent years, however, the Lottery has returned the vast majority of those dollars to the state as revenue, opting instead to keep only a very small portion, usually far less than 10 percent, in reserve for the funding of special prizes and promotions. The small remaining amount goes into Lottery reserves to either fund additional prizes for a particular game or to fund special promotional initiatives.
The annuity amount is determined by the cash available and the current interest rate for government securities. The annuity is paid over 26 payments, an initial check followed by 25 annual installments. These payments are also subject to the Federal withholding rates. The annuity rate will vary with the interest rates at the time of the purchase of the annuity, since we rely on these United States government bonds to fund annuity prize payments.
The annuity for Powerball, however, is a graduated annuity; payments in that annuity increase over time, and the overall length of the annuity payout period is longer. Mega Millions annuity payments are the same from year to year, which requires the use of a different type of annuity than what Powerball uses. This means there is a difference in the cost of purchasing the bonds needed to fund a Powerball annuity, and that cost is reflected in the cash value for the jackpot.
The cash prize is simply the total money available for the top-tier prize.
Should you hold a winning Pick-6, CASH4LIFE, Powerball or Mega Millions ticket and it has been purchased as an annuity ticket, the New Jersey Lottery will immediately purchase the annuity at the rate available. You do have the option of requesting that the New Jersey Lottery sell that annuity on your behalf within 60 days. However, the sale will be governed by the market rates at the time of sale; therefore, you could possibly lose money or increase your winnings based on the rates at the time of sale.
However, if you have a cash ticket, you cannot switch it to an annuity ticket because the bonds to fund that annuity would have needed to be purchased as soon as it was determined a winning ticket had been sold in New Jersey. If the person is taking cash because bond rates fluctuate, the annuity they might receive could be very different from the original annuity which had been advertised.
Check the State of New Jersey/Division of Purchase & Property website.
If you do not find the information you are looking for there, you may wish to file a request for public records from the Division of Purchase and Property.
Yes, winners of the New Jersey Lottery may choose to remain anonymous. However, to file a claim, proper identification must be presented for internal processing and for reporting to the Internal Revenue Service. For more information, see: The State Lottery Law, N.J.S.A. 5:9-1 et seq.
In the past, players have asked questions about trusts and other legal constructs to use as vehicles to claim their prizes. If you have questions about those legal constructs, you must consult a legal professional. The Lottery cannot assist you with legal questions.
To obtain a public record from the New Jersey Lottery, you will need to submit an Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request. You can do so on the New Jersey Lottery's homepage (in the lower right-hand corner, you will see the OPRA icon. Click on the icon. Once there, select "Treasury Department," and at the next screen, select "Government Records Access Unit." The remainder of the process is self-explanatory.)
Consumers should be careful about potential scammers who may send false announcements regarding lottery prizes.
As part of the scam, an individual is contacted by phone, email, text message, or a letter from a scammer who is claiming that the recipient has won a prize with the New Jersey Lottery. This is a fraudulent claim and there is no such prize. Never respond to these communications and never provide information or send money to a scammer.
WARNING SIGNS:
- The New Jersey Lottery does NOT know who the winners are until they come forward with a winning ticket. We do not notify YOU, you notify US.
- The New Jersey Lottery NEVER requires the payment of any money in order to claim a prize.
- No one should ever send any money to pay a ‘processing fee’ or any another requested fee in order to claim a prize.
- Never deposit any check sent to you that is accompanied by a request that you send or wire money to cover processing or claiming fees. The check that you’ve received is fraudulent and will bounce.
- Never provide any personal or financial information to a scammer, especially Social Security numbers, bank account numbers, and credit card numbers.
REPORT THE SCAM:
Report any attempted scam to the Federal Trade Commission at 1-877-FTC-HELP or at the FTC Consumer Information website.
Also, contact the New Jersey Lottery's Security Unit immediately at (609) 599-6100. Our Security Unit takes these "lottery scams" very seriously, and looks into each particular "scam" in great detail. Please submit the 'scam' material you have received, along with as many details as possible (i.e. instructions, your contact information, etc.). You can forward this information to the Security Unit by email (publicinfo@lottery.state.nj.us), by fax (609) 599-5814, ATTN: Security Unit, or via regular mail to New Jersey Lottery; Security Unit; P.O. Box 041; Trenton, NJ 08625-0041.
Please contact the New Jersey Lottery's Security Unit immediately at (609) 599-6100. Our Security Unit takes these "lottery scams" very seriously, and looks into each particular "scam" in great detail. Please submit the 'scam' material you have received, along with as many details as possible (i.e. instructions, your contact information, etc.). You can forward this information to the Security Unit by email (publicinfo@lottery.state.nj.us), by fax (609) 599-5814, ATTN: Security Unit, or via regular mail to New Jersey Lottery; Security Unit; P.O. Box 041; Trenton, NJ 08625-0041.
To file an official complaint against a New Jersey Lottery retailer, please submit a written complaint with as many details as possible (i.e. store name/location, dates and times, your contact info, ticket numbers if possible, etc.) either by e-mail (publicinfo@lottery.state.nj.us), by fax (609) 599-5814 [please put ATTN: Security Unit on the fax], or via regular mail (New Jersey Lottery; Security Unit; P.O. Box 041; Trenton, NJ 08625-0041). If you have further questions, please call the New Jersey Lottery's Security Department at (609) 599-6100.
Submit a written complaint with as many details as possible (i.e. store name/location, dates and times, your contact info, ticket numbers, if possible, etc.) You can forward this information to the Security Unit by email (publicinfo@lottery.state.nj.us), by fax (609) 599-5814, ATTN: Security Unit, or via regular mail to New Jersey Lottery; Security Unit; P.O. Box 041; Trenton, NJ 08625-0041.
To validate tickets, the retailer must scan the ticket and then manually enter specific digits from the serial number that is located within the play area. The only way the retailer can know these digits is if the latex has been scratched off. If a customer buys a ticket from a retailer and the latex has been scratched off prior to purchasing to reveal any portion of the serial number, the customer should not pay for this ticket and report the retailer to our Security Unit immediately (see contact information in above question).
When we have available positions, they are posted on the Internet, click here.
Likewise, the Civil Service Commission posts for job vacancies in state, county and municipal government, click here.
New Jersey Lottery tickets may be purchased through a registered New Jersey Lottery courier online. The player must be in New Jersey at the time of purchase.
For information on registered couriers, please visit our retailer page here: https://www.njlottery.com/en-us/retailer/becomeretailer.html
The New Jersey Lottery does not have a mail-in or Internet subscription plan and has no plans to implement any type of mail-in or Internet subscription in the immediate future.
New Jersey Lottery tickets may be purchased through a registered New Jersey Lottery courier online. The player must be in New Jersey at the time of purchase.
For information on registered couriers, please visit our retailer page here: https://www.njlottery.com/en-us/retailer/becomeretailer.html
We recommend that you clear out all browser cache files and cookies, and then close and restart your browser. NJLottery.com is best viewed through Chrome or Firefox. If you are still having trouble, please email us at vipclub@njlottery.com for assistance.
We recommend that you uninstall the app, then restart your device, and then reinstall the app. (Restarting your device after uninstalling the app is necessary to help clear out any problematic files.) If you are still having trouble, please email us at vipclub@njlottery.com for assistance.
· If you are printing the coupon to bring to your retailer, make sure the barcode is crisp and legible. Any ink smears or streaks, or any sharp creases in the barcode could make the barcode illegible.
. If you are scanning the barcode from your mobile device, make sure the barcode is a good size. We recommend taking a screenshot of the barcode, so you can zoom in or out if necessary.
· If you are trying to redeem the coupon through a self-service kiosk, make sure you are following the directions that appear underneath the barcode on the coupon page. If you have any questions or problems with these instructions, please ask a staff member at the retailer for assistance so they can redeem the barcode for you.
. If you are not using a self-service kiosk, make sure you are giving the barcode and the redemption instructions to the retailer’s staff member who is assisting you. They will need to read through the instructions before being able to successfully redeem your barcode.
If you are still having trouble, please email us at vipclub@njlottery.com for assistance.