LOTTERY officials have issued a three-step warning for an unclaimed $664,000 ticket.
The winning numbers were sold in Monmouth County, New Jersey, and the lucky ticket holder is yet to come forward.
2
2
At Krauszer’s on South Concourse in Keyport one fortunate person punched in the exact numbers that were read out in Tuesday’s Jersey Cash 5 jackpot.
If you have five numbers that match the winning digits 03, 09, 31, 33 and 39 with Xtra 03 and Bulleseye 09, then you could take home $664,000.
New Jersey Lottery announced Wednesday that the winning ticket was sold in Monmouth County.
On top of this, the agency said that 37 other players who matched four numbers and hit the Bullseye get an unbelievable $500 each.
And two also matched four balls with XTRA to win $500 too.
Lottery prizes have soared lately with a Mega Millions jackpot standing at $233 million, and a Powerball being $320 million.
There has only been one Mega Millions jackpot winner of 2025 which went to a player in Arizona, who scooped a whopping $112 million prize.
In the coming weeks Mega Millions is set to undergo a major change – that being the price of a ticket.
Currently it costs $2 to play the game of chance, but the price of a ticket will rise to $5.
The change has proved controversial and some shocked players have vowed to stop playing the game when the rise kicks in.
In December, the Mega Millions player who came forward to claim the $1.128 billion prize in New Jersey was set to face a hefty tax bill heading into the new year.
Despite defying the odds of one in 302.6 million to land the top prize, the gambler will fork out millions to the government and state.
And, they can do nothing about the money they’re set to lose.
The winning slip dated back to a draw in March and was bought at a ShopRite store in Neptune.
State lotto officials revealed the player picked their numbers individually and bought just one slip.
The player had a choice of how they wanted to claim their prize – either in the form of a lump sum or annuity.
They opted to take the lump sum – an amount that has an estimated cash value of $537.5 million.
But, that figure is before federal and state taxes are wiped from the prize.
The player will pay a rate of 24% to the federal government, an estimated $129 million.
Lottery winnings: lump sum or annuity?
Players who win big on lottery tickets typically have a choice to make: lump sum or annuity?
The two payout methods can impact how much money you get from your prize.
Annuities pay out slowly in increments, often over 30 years.
Lump sums pay all at once but in a smaller amount, as taxes are withheld in one go. That means 24% of your prize goes to Uncle Sam right away. Many states tax winnings as well.
Annuities can provide winners time to set up the financial infrastructure required to take in a life-changing amount of money, but lump sums have the benefit of being taxed only once.
Inflation is also worth considering when making a choice, as payouts do not adjust with the value of a dollar. That means that you’ll likely be getting less valuable money towards the end of an annuity.
Each state and game pays out prizes differently, so it’s best to check with your state’s lottery to confirm payment policies. A financial advisor can also help you weigh the pros and cons of each option.
Experts have varying opinions on whether to take the lump sum or take the annuity.
