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NJ Lottery App, Scratch Offs and Tickets

Updated: Sep. 30, 2024

The New Jersey Lottery offers a wide range of draw games, scratchers, and innovative games such as Quick Draw. You can also buy tickets for popular multi-state games like Powerball and Mega Millions in the Garden State.

New Jersey does not currently permit iLottery games. However, lottery courier services are legal, so you can purchase tickets online via Jackpocket or Lotto.com.

This guide breaks down the various options available to lottery players in New Jersey. We will highlight the games you can play, discuss the pros and cons of lottery courier services, and explain how to claim your prizes when you win.

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New Jersey lottery snapshot

Former New Jersey Gov. William T. Cahill purchased the first lottery ticket in the Garden State back in 1970. Here are some quick facts about the New Jersey lottery games.

Launch date	December 1970
Available games	In-state draw games, multi-state draw games, scratchers, Fast Play, Quick Draw, Cash Pop
Mega Millions	Yes
PowerBall	Yes
Scratchers	Yes
iLottery games	No
Courier services	Yes
Gambling age	18

Can I play lottery games online in New Jersey?

New Jersey does not currently offer internet lottery (iLottery) games. That means you cannot buy tickets, set up subscriptions, or play instant win games at the NJ Lottery site or the app.

However, online lottery courier services are legally available in New Jersey. There are currently four options:

All of those sites and apps offer a similar service. You can sign up, make a deposit, and then place orders for lottery tickets. A member of staff will visit a licensed lottery retailer in New Jersey and buy a physical ticket on your behalf.

A copy of the ticket will be uploaded in your account before the draw takes place. The physical ticket will be stored in a secure facility.

If you win less than $600, your prize will be credited to your account, and you can withdraw the funds or use them to buy more tickets. In the event you win a larger prize, the physical ticket will be sent to you via courier, allowing you to claim your prize.

These lottery services are convenient, but you will be charged a deposit fee, so you may find it more cost-effective to buy your tickets at a store.

Lottery games in New Jersey

Here are the different lottery games you can play in New Jersey.

Draw games

With draw games, you select some numbers from a larger pool. Then, the lottery authority draws an equal amount of numbers randomly, and you hope to match your numbers to the numbers drawn. The more numbers you match, the bigger your prize – and a perfect match wins you the jackpot. Here are the draw games available to you in New Jersey.

Powerball

Powerball is a high-profile draw game that covers 45 states. New Jersey joined in October 2009, and there have been several jackpot winners in the Garden State since then.

They include Pearlie Mae Smith, a 70-year-old who won $429.6 million after spending just $6 on tickets at her local 7-11 store in Trenton. Other big winners include the “Ocean’s 16” public employees in Ocean County, and Pedro Quezada, who won a $338.3 million jackpot from a ticket he purchased at his own store in Passaic.

The format is simple: just pick five numbers from 1-69 and an additional number from 1-26, and you will win the jackpot if all six numbers match. Tickets cost $2, and there are various runner-up prizes.

Mega Millions

Mega Millions follows a similar format to Powerball. Players select five numbers from 1-70 (white balls) and another number from 1-25 (gold ball), and they win the jackpot if all six numbers match.

Tickets cost $2. If your five balls match, but the gold ball does not, you will win $1 million, and there are various other prizes.

Six states founded Mega Millions in 1996, and New Jersey became the seventh member in May 1999. Several New Jersey residents have won the jackpot, including a $533 million payout for Richard Wahl in 2018. A player in New Jersey then shattered that record by winning the $1.13 billion jackpot in March 2024.

Other NJ draw games

New Jersey is also a member of the Cash4Life game, which has a top prize of $1,000 per day for the rest of your life.

There are several in-state draw games too. They generally have smaller prize pools than Mega Millions and Powerball, but the payouts can still be substantial. Here are the other draw games you can play in New Jersey:

Cash4Life
Pick 3
Pick 4
Jersey Cash 5
Pick 6

New Jersey lottery weekly schedule

These are the draw times and dates to keep in mind when you buy lottery tickets in New Jersey.

Draw Game	Draw Days	Draw Time
Powerball	Monday, Wednesday, Saturday	10:59 p.m.
Mega Millions	Tuesday, Friday	11 p.m.
Cash4Life	Daily	9 p.m.
Pick 3 and Pick 4	Twice daily	12:59 p.m. and 10:57 p.m.
Jersey Cash 5	Daily	10:57 p.m.
Pick 6	Daily	10:57 p.m.

Scratchers

You can only buy scratchers in-person at a licensed lottery retailer in New Jersey. They are not sold via online lottery courier services.

The format is straightforward: scratch off the latex coating to reveal the results, and you will win a prize if certain numbers, letters, or symbols match. Some scratch-offs also offer bonus features and instant cash prizes.

These are some of the best scratch-offs in New Jersey:

Loose Change

This is a simple instant reveal game that costs just $1 per ticket. The prize pool is more than $4.2 million, and prizes go up to $500.

You can also win runner-up prizes of $100, $40, $20, $10, $5, $2, or a free $1 ticket. In total, more than 1.9 million tickets will deliver a prize.

It’s a Jersey Thing

Tickets cost $10 for this popular scratch-off. You simply scratch the play area to reveal your 20 numbers and the six winning numbers. If any of the numbers match, you will win the prize displayed for that number.

You will receive the prize automatically if the “JERSEY” symbol appears, and your prize will be doubled if the “$$” symbol occurs. You can also win $50 or $100 automatically via two bonus symbols.

The top prize is $500,000, and runner-up prizes range from a free $10 ticket to $5,000.

200X Cash Blitz

The top prize is $4 million on this scratcher, which costs $30 per ticket. There are lots of runner-up prizes, ranging from a free $30 ticket to $50,000.

Each ticket features four game plays. Remove the latex covering to reveal your 30 numbers and the 10 winning numbers, and you will win the prize shown if any of the numbers match.

Multipliers of 5x, 10x, 20x, and 200x are available when you play this game. You can also win $100, $200, or $500 automatically via the bonus symbols.

Other games

You can print Fast Play games on demand at lottery terminals in New Jersey. There is also a regular keno-style game called Quick Draw, along with a simple game named Cash Pop.

Fast Play
Quick Draw
Cash Pop

New Jersey lottery payment options

You can use cash or a card to buy lottery tickets when you visit a licensed retailer in New Jersey. There are almost 6,000 retailers, including convenience stores and gas stations.

If you sign up with a lottery courier service, you will be offered a wider range of payment methods. For example, these are the deposit methods at Jackpocket:

Credit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover)

Debit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover)

Just keep in mind that a deposit fee will be charged when you fund your account. Withdrawals are free, and there are no other fees to pay.

Responsible gambling

The New Jersey Lottery has achieved a World Lottery Associations Level 4 Certification in Responsible Gaming. This is the most comprehensive measure of responsible play for lotteries on a global basis.

You can access responsible gaming tips and resources in a special section of the NJ Lottery site. If you need support with a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey site for information about the treatment services and resources available in the Garden State.

New Jersey lottery FAQ

Are New Jersey lottery games safe to play?

Yes, New Jersey lottery games are safe to play. You can purchase tickets from almost 6,000 licensed lottery retailers in the Garden State, and you will be guaranteed a secure payout if you win. Lottery courier services like Jackpocket are also available in New Jersey, and they offer robust security measures to safeguard your tickets and protect your data.

Has anyone ever won the Powerball or Mega Millions in New Jersey?

Yes, there have been lots of Powerball and Mega Millions jackpot winners in New Jersey. A Vernon resident named Richard Wahl held the record for the largest jackpot in state history, as he landed the $533 million Mega Millions jackpot in 2018.

However, a fellow New Jersey resident then won the $1.13 billion Mega Millions jackpot in March 2024. Meanwhile, Pearlie Mae Smith, a 70-year-old from Trenton, won the $429.6 million Powerball jackpot in 2016.

Do I have to pay taxes on New Jersey lottery winnings?

Yes, you will need to pay federal income tax on your lottery winnings in New Jersey. State income tax will be due if you win more than $10,000. You can deduct any gambling losses and lottery ticket purchases from your winnings, and you will then need to pay income tax on your net profits.

What should I do if I win a big jackpot in New Jersey?

If you win a big jackpot in New Jersey, call 1-800-222-0996 to schedule an appointment at the NJ Lottery headquarters in Lawrence Township. You can then submit your claim in-person. Meanwhile, you will need to submit a claim form if you win a prize of $600 or more.

Do I have to pay taxes if I win as part of a group?

Yes, you will need to pay taxes if you win as part of a group. Fill out IRS Form 5754, which must be completed in order to share the prize and related taxes. That will allow the NJ Lottery to accurately prepare a Form W-2G for each member in the group.

Withholding tax will be taken at a rate of 24% if you win more than $5,000. You may get some of it back when you file your tax return, or you may end up owing more.

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Written by

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