New Jersey – When you play the lottery, you play to win big but Fox 5 News found some games where you’ll never hit the jackpot. For instance, the New Jersey Lottery’s “Bingo Times 10” (NJ Lottery game #876) says right on the card the top prize is $150,000, but there is currently NO way to win it.
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When Fox 5 News reporter Andrea Day went to buy one of the tickets in a shop in New Jersey we were told, “Good Luck!” But no amount of luck would help win the jackpot because it’s already gone. In fact, the ticket we bought had no way to win $150,000, zero chance to win $50,000 and no chance at even $10,000 because those prizes had been won already.
And Fox 5 uncovered many other NJ lottery tickets for sale that had jackpots that were already gone, but the tickets were still being sold.
It may seem unfair and totally shocking to sell tickets with no jackpots, but the fact is, it’s NOT a big secret. The New Jersey Lottery posts detailed information about every scratch-off game. So you can find out exactly what prizes have been won on a scratch off before you buy it. And if you play it’s a good idea to check it out because Fox 5 News found many games posted on the New Jersey Lottery site that show zero jackpots remaining.
So why are they still selling the tickets?
A spokesperson for the New Jersey lottery tells Fox 5 News, once the top prize is gone they tell retailers not to open any new rolls of tickets, instead send unused packs back to the New Jersey Lottery. But retailers are permitted to sell the rest of a roll that is already open.
The New Jersey Lottery spokesperson also tells us, on the games we found there may not be any top tier prizes left, but there are still chances to win some of the smaller prizes.
In New York the system works better for scratch-off game players. The big difference, a New York Lottery spokesperson tells Fox 5 News that once the top prize is gone in any game, New York Lottery sends a message to retailers through lottery computers to immediately stop selling the game, and that includes rolls that are already opened. Agents also go from store to store and actually pull the tickets off the shelves.
NJ Lottery Statement:
“Two years ago… the New Jersey Lottery reviewed its instant ticket program and made procedural changes to ensure that the distribution of tickets ceases upon the claiming of the final winning top-tier ticket in an instant game. Additionally, we altered our website and enhanced our 800 number to better aid our players in their review of our games prior to purchase. In keeping with industry best practices, our website is updated daily to reflect the claiming of top- and upper-tier tickets, that same information is available through reports our retailers can print out at their store for their customers, and players can program our 800 number–1-800-222-0996–into their phones so they can even call us when they’re standing in line.”
If I would have done this I would have been arrested & given a life sentence but when the govt. Steals its OK
And I think there’s no chance of wining even $5. I buy these tickets every week and in the past 4 month I didn’t win more then $2. Its one big scandal!
love that new jersey…………
Any way you go it’s not fair. Even prior to having had someone win the top tier prize. If say for example, the top tier winning ticket is in a bodega in the Bronx, which I never go to, and I buy my ticket in Boro Park, is there any possibility in the world that I could win that prize? Screwey!!
#4 …are you the one who was involved in the nj scandles and rabbis?
hah! its like selling someone a ticket for a raffle after the drawing has been done. what a scam!
Its all a scam, but everyone knows that not all tickets are winners, but they still continue to buy them, hoping that THIS ticket will be the winner. The odds are the same, whether or not the jackpot has been won yet or not.
If they stop selling the tickets after the jackpot has been won, it actually INCREASES the odds of winning the big prizes. If there are a million tickets printed, the odds of winning are 1,000,000:1. If they stop selling the tickets after they’ve sold 300,000 because the jackpot was hit, then the odds just shot up to 300,000:1. You don’t know what the odds will be until the jackpot is won, though. But, if you’re buying a ticket to begin with, then you’re willing to take the odds no matter what they are.
More proof that the Lottery is for people who failed Math.
You’re more likely to win the jackpot by digging for buried treasure in your backyard.
Actually, the odds r not always 1:1000000. Every ticket sold without winning the jackpot will increase the odds of the remaining tickets. Once it’s gone, the odds become zero obviously. The whole thing kind of smells because if the first ticket happened to win, the state would lose a mint off that game. The government should not take that risk no matter what the odds are. They probably fix the position of the jackpot. Stick with Megamillions and other drawing games. No fraud at least… (and they talk about Goldman Sachs, the hypocrites)
New Jersey lottery provides a very good chance to win the big but it is depend on the good luck. Lottery is the good one but the gambling is illegal .So there is a need to prevent the gambling.
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lottery permit