New Jersey lottery players have had a profitable start to the year, with winnings exceeding $50 million in the first quarter of 2024. This figure does not include the record-breaking $1.13 billion Mega Millions prize won by a single ticket in March, the largest jackpot ever won in the state.
From January 1st through March 31st, players took home more than $50 million in six, seven, and eight-figure prizes. In addition to the Mega Millions jackpot, over 250 prizes of $10,000 or more were won, with 50 of those prizes being worth $100,000 or more.
The winning Mega Millions ticket was purchased at the ShopRite Liquor on Route 66 in Neptune. The retailer will receive a $30,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket. The winner, who has not yet come forward, chose the numbers themselves instead of using the system’s Quick Pick option. Lottery winners can remain anonymous in New Jersey, under a law signed by Gov. Phil Murphy in 2020.
The odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot are 1 in 302.6 million. Despite these long odds, New Jersey has seen a significant number of winners in the first quarter of 2024.