Jan. 5 Powerball Jackpot $610M: Deadline For Tickets In NJ

NEW JERSEY — The jackpot in Wednesday night’s Powerball drawing is an estimated $610 million, with an estimated cash payout of $434.2 million. To get in on it, folks in New Jersey will have to buy the tickets at least one hour before the drawing, which takes place at 10:59 p.m. Eastern Time.

In New Jersey, tickets for Wednesday night’s drawing must be purchased by 9:59 p.m.

The last time the Powerball jackpot was claimed was last October, when a lottery player in California took home a nearly $496 million payoff on a $699,800,000 jackpot.

In New Jersey, 11 people (or 2.8 percent of all winners) have won the Powerball jackpot.

The most recent Garden State Jackpot winners were announced in January 2021, when both $33,200,000 and $23,200,000 prizes were claimed by New Jersey residents. Another New Jersey winner claimed a whopping $190,000,000 prize in April 2020.

But no one won Monday night’s jackpot, making it the 39th drawing in a row without a winner.

The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million, regardless of how many people play the game. To win the jackpot, a player must match all five white balls and the red Powerball number.

Tickets cost $2. There are nine ways to win:

• The Powerball only: $4 (1 in 38 odds)
• One number plus the Powerball: $4 (1 in 91 odds)
• Two numbers plus the Powerball: $7 (1 in 701 odds)
• Three numbers: $7 (1 in 579 odds)
• Three numbers plus the Powerball: $100 (1 in 14,494 odds)
• Four numbers: $100 (1 in 36,525 odds)
• Four numbers plus the Powerball: $50,000 (1 in 931,129 odds)
• Five numbers: $1 million (1 in 11,688,053 odds)
• Five numbers, plus the Powerball: Jackpot amount (1 in 292,201,338 odds)

Lottery officials have advice for whoever has the winning numbers:

1. Sign your winning ticket. Write your full name and signature on the back of the winning ticket. If you lose your ticket, having your name on the ticket means that no one else will be able to cash it in.
2. Keep your winning ticket in a safe place. Take steps to protect your winning lottery ticket by putting it somewhere safe where it won't accidentally get thrown out.
3. Get legal and financial advice. It might be wise to talk to some experienced professionals such as a lawyer, an accountant, or an investment adviser to help manage your winnings. The winning Powerball numbers are drawn every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. Eastern time, with Powerball results usually posted within 5 minutes.

Winners in California, Florida and Tennessee split the largest Powerball prize in history, a $1.586 billion jackpot, in January 2016.