New Jersey Pick 6

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Pick-6 Lotto is a lottery jackpot game in the New Jersey.

It began in May 1980 as one of the first games of its kind in the United States. It originally was a pick-6 (hence the name) of 39 numbers. Players paid $1 for each game; a winning ticket needed at least four correct numbers in a game. It later went to a 6/42 matrix, followed by an additional change to 6/46; making even higher jackpots possible. New Jersey did not join the Big Game (now Mega Millions) until May 1999.

Until 2000, each $1 play also produced a quick-picked five-digit "bonus" number. A perfect match entered the ticket holder into a periodic "bonus" drawing, with a top prize of $50,000 per year for 20 years. The final "bonus" drawing was held in 2001, about a year after the "bonus" number was no longer drawn.

The cash option began in 1997; however, it applied only to the jackpot. Top-prize "bonus" drawing winners could not collect the cash value of the "million-dollar" prize, even if the original ticket (bought by the player) had "cash value" chosen.

The current (as of June 2007) game is a 6/49, which began in September 2000; no "bonus" number of any kind is drawn. Unlike with the previous matrixes, there is a ($3) prize for matching three numbers. Matching at least four numbers wins a parimutuel prize, as in the older versions. Pick 6 is normally drawn Mondays and Thursdays, with Mega Millions drawn one night later. The jackpots start at $2 million (the cash value is not publicized), and the payout percentage is 50 percent.

Since the cash option began, the rules have changed somewhat on how the choice is/was to be made. As of June 2007, players must choose lump sum or annuity when the ticket is bought; however, an annuity ticket can be changed to cash after winning.

Past games include the 5 Card Lotto (New Jersey), which was offered from 1988 to 1990.

As with all New Jersey Lottery games, the minimum age to buy a ticket is 18.

New Jersey Lottery Pick 6 Lotto page