New Jersey lottery player wins $2 million in Wednesday's Powerball drawing
The New Jersey Powerball logo
A New Jersey lottery player won $2 million playing the Powerball on Wednesday.
While no one won the jackpot, one ticket sold in the Garden State matched the five white balls to win $1 million and had the Power Play to double the prize, according to the Powerball website. It was not immediately known where the ticket was sold.
The Powerball jackpot will climb to an estimated $443 million for Saturday night’s drawing with a cash option of $210.3 million.
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The Powerball winning numbers for Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024 were: 16 – 26 – 29 – 38 – 50 and Powerball 6. The Powerplay was 2x.
The jackpot was last won on Jan. 1 when a lottery player in Michigan won the $842.4 million jackpot.
Looking for an edge? These are the luckiest Powerball numbers
When is the next Powerball drawing?
Powerball drawings are held three times a week – Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. Monday drawings were added in 2021.
More: Here’s a look back at all 15 Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots won in 2023
How late can I buy Powerball tickets?
The deadline for purchasing Powerball ticket varies by state so don’t wait until the last minute. The deadline in New Jersey is 9:59 p.m. on the day of the drawing, while New York’s deadline is 10 p.m.
Click here is a complete list of Powerball ticket deadline times by state or jurisdiction.
Location, location, location: These are the states with the most Powerball jackpot winners
How do I play Powerball?
The cost is $2 per ticket, but you can add the Power Play for $1, which will increase the amount of your potential prize up to five times the original prize (except for the jackpot and Match 5). There is also a 10x Power Play possibility when the jackpot is less than $150 million.
Each player selects five numbers from 1 to 69 for the white balls and one number from 1 to 26 for the red Powerball. However, you can also have the lottery machine generate a quick pick ticket with random numbers for you.
Prizes vary from $4 for the matching the Powerball to $1 million for matching all five white balls (except in California) to the jackpot for matching all six balls. You can check all the prize payouts on the Powerball website here.
Beware: No, a lottery jackpot winner isn’t giving you money. How to spot a scammer
Where is the Powerball available?
You can play the game in 45 states plus the Washington DC, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
More: What would you do if you won the Powerball lottery? Survey answers might surprise you
Where can you buy lottery tickets?
Tickets can be purchased in-person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.
You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Washington D.C. and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.
Winner: New Jersey grandmother of 10 planning Disney trip after winning $1 million in Powerball
How can I watch Powerball drawing?
The Powerball drawing is broadcast live on the lottery website at 10:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. You can watch the drawing by clicking here.
The drawing may be broadcast on a local television station in your market as well.
What are my odds of winning?
Playing the Powerball can be exciting, but just don’t go spending those millions before you win.
The odds of winning the jackpot are 292,201,338-to-1.
The odds to match all five white balls are 11,688,053-to-1.
Unlucky? Here are 13 crazy things more likely to happen than winning the lottery
Lump sum or annuity?
The major lotteries in the United States offer two jackpot payout options: annuity and cash.
The annuity option is paid out over time. There is an immediate payment and then 29 annual payments after that, increasing by 5% each year.
The cash option is significantly lower than the advertised jackpot, but it is paid in a lump sum. You don’t have to wait decades for all the money.
Can I win jackpot and remain anonymous?
In some states, like New Jersey, you can win a lottery anonymously. That wasn’t always the case, but now winners are able to stay anonymous under a law that was signed by Gov. Phil Murphy.
In other states, a winner’s name and hometown are a matter of public record. Check with your state lottery for more information.
Top 10 largest Powerball jackpots
Here are the Top 10 jackpots since the Powerball lottery began in 1992:
- $1.586 billion, Jan. 13, 2016: Three winners in California, Florida, Tennessee
- $758.7 million, Aug. 23, 2017: Won in Massachusetts
What was largest U.S. lottery jackpot ever?
Here’s a look at the top jackpots won in the United States, between the Powerball and the Mega Millions lotteries:
- $1.586 billion, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016: Three winners in California, Florida, Tennessee
- $758.7 million, Powerball, Aug. 23, 2017: Won in Massachusetts
- $687.8 million, Powerball, Oct. 27, 2018: Two winners in Iowa, New York
- $656 million, Mega Millions, March 30, 2012: Three winners in Illinois, Kansas, Maryland
- $648 million, Mega Millions, Dec. 17, 2013: Two winners in California, Georgia
Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. Must be 18+, 21+ in AZ and 19+ in NE. Not affiliated with any State Lottery. Gambling Problem? Call 1-877-8-HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY); 1-800-327-5050 (MA); 1-877-MYLIMIT (OR); 1-800-GAMBLER (all others). Visit jackpocket.com/tos for full terms and conditions.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: New Jersey lottery player wins $2 million in Wednesday’s Powerball drawing