New Jersey Lottery says 14 of 18 $1 million-plus Powerball winners have claimed prizes
TRENTON, N.J. — The New Jersey Lottery says 14 of the 18 state winners who claimed prizes of at least $1 million in the April 29 Powerball drawing have already come forward to collect their winnings.
The drawing awarded dozens of large prizes nationwide. While jackpot-winning tickets sold in Indiana and Kansas split the $143.4 million grand prize, New Jersey saw an unusually high number of second-tier winners matching all five white balls but not the Powerball.
According to lottery officials, 89 tickets nationwide won second-tier prizes in the drawing. Eighteen of those winning tickets were sold in New Jersey, including four tickets that doubled their winnings to $2 million by adding the Power Play option.
Lottery officials said winners have up to one year from the drawing date to claim prizes.
Officials also reminded players that a $5.9 million Pick-6 jackpot ticket from May 22, 2025, remains unclaimed and is set to expire May 22, 2026.
Several winners who chose to remain anonymous shared stories about learning they had won.
One winner initially believed he had won only a few hundred dollars before realizing the ticket was worth $1 million. Lottery officials said he then mistakenly thought the prize would be divided among all 89 nationwide winners.
Another player believed she had won $1 million before learning she had selected the Power Play option, increasing her prize to $2 million.
Lottery officials said some winners plan to use the money to buy homes, pay off debt and cover medical expenses, while others said the winnings would help fund retirement plans.
One winner rented a car to travel to lottery headquarters and said he now plans to buy a vehicle of his own with the prize money.
Another winner was already having a lucky year after previously splitting a Jersey Cash 5 jackpot earlier in 2026, officials said.
Lottery officials said winners came from across New Jersey and called the drawing an example of how “anything can happen in Jersey.”
