The New Jersey Lottery

Mega Millions (multi-lottery game)

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 current name, Mega Millions, was adopted in 2002; a short time later, the name The Big Game was retired. The jackpots begin at $12 million. On January 31, 2010, many MUSL members (until then offering only Powerball) joined Mega Millions.

Powerball (multi-lottery game)

Powerball is a multi-lottery game that grew from 33 to 43 members on January 31, 2010. Powerball 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 Millions and Powerball in U.S. lottery jurisdictions. On January 7, 2010, the New Jersey Lottery announced that Powerball would make its debut in the NJ Lottery on January 31, 2010.

On March 13, 2010, New Jersey became the first previously Mega Millions-only jurisdiction to produce a jackpot ticket for Powerball after the January 31, 2010 cross-sell expansion. The annuity value of the prize is over $211 million; it was sold in Morris Plains. (None of the 33 Powerball members just before January 31, 2010, have sold a Mega Millions jackpot ticket since then.)

Players' jackpot choice

Unusually, for Pick-6, as well as 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 binding; however, an 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 paid in lump sum.) This is in contrast to Texas, where Powerball, Mega Millions, and Lotto Texas players must choose when playing; the selection(s) in all three games are binding.