New Jersey player one number short of $629M Powerball jackpot still banks $1 million prize
Trenton, NJ – A Powerball ticket sold in the quiet borough of Mountainside turned a routine lottery purchase into a life-changing moment Wednesday, as one Union County player matched five white balls to land a $1 million win — just one number shy of the growing $629 million jackpot.
The lucky numbers — 10, 31, 49, 51, and 68 — aligned perfectly for the unidentified player, who bought the ticket at 7-Eleven #11430 on Mountain Avenue. The only number missing was the red Power Ball, 19, which would have catapulted the ticket into the nine-figure jackpot bracket.
The $1 million winner now becomes one of New Jersey’s highest single-ticket Powerball prize earners this month. Meanwhile, no player nationwide matched all six numbers in the multi-state game, sending the jackpot surging toward Saturday night’s draw with an estimated lump sum payout of $294.5 million.
New Jersey Lottery officials have not yet announced whether the $1 million ticket has been claimed. Players are urged to sign the back of their tickets and keep them secure while verification is pending.
The Powerball game has already awarded five jackpots this year, ranging from $167 million in Kentucky to over $526 million in California. In September, the second-largest jackpot in U.S. history — $1.8 billion — was split between winners in Missouri and Texas.
Wednesday’s drawing also featured the Double Play option, a second chance for players who opted in. The numbers drawn were 17, 19, 47, 53 and 61, with the Double Play ball marked as 08. The top prize for that draw stands at $10 million.
Powerball draws are held three times weekly — Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. With the jackpot swelling and ticket sales expected to rise, lottery officials anticipate another surge of hopeful players entering the next drawing.
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Key Points
- Union County ticket matched five numbers to win $1 million on Wednesday’s Powerball draw
- Jackpot climbs to $629 million, with a cash payout of $294.5 million expected Saturday
- Winning ticket was sold at a Mountainside 7-Eleven, one number shy of the full jackpot