NJ Changes Cash 5 Game

Sep 22, 2003, 4:14 am (2 comments)

New Jersey Lottery The New Jersey State Lottery announced improvements to its Jersey Cash 5 game, starting with the September 15 drawing, that are designed to produce higher jackpots and more player excitement.

Since its inception in 1992, Jersey Cash 5 has served as a "roll-down" game, whereby if there was no top winner (five out of five numbers), the jackpot was divided into the remaining prize pools (four out of five numbers).  Jersey Cash 5 now will change to a "roll over" structure, where the jackpot grows and carries over to the next drawing if there is not a top winner.

"The goal of these enhancements is to give our Jersey Cash 5 players the chance to win higher prizes," said New Jersey Lottery Executive Director Virginia S. Bauer.  "This game has been popular in New Jersey for over ten years and we hope these improvements will sustain Jersey Cash 5's success for decades to come."

In addition, Jersey Cash 5 players now will choose five numbers from a field of 40, instead of 38.  The game will continue to be drawn seven days per week and still cost $1.00.

Since introducing Jersey Cash 5 on September 30, 1992, the game has generated over $955 million in sales and produced revenues of $400 million to support state education and institutions.  Over the past two years however, Jersey Cash 5 sales have declined, overshadowed by the larger daily jackpots of Mega Millions and Pick 6 Lotto.

With a rolling jackpot structure, the Lottery will create daily Jersey Cash 5 prizes higher than players ever have experienced for that game.  At the same time, odds of winning Jersey Cash 5 will be dramatically lower than other rolling jackpot games, with the chances of matching five out of five numbers standing at only one in 658,008.

According to Bauer, Jersey Cash 5 players wanted higher, daily jackpots and many of the game enhancements were developed as a result of player feedback.

"Some of our players were disappointed with the top prize amounts offered by Jersey Cash 5," added Bauer.  "They clearly wanted to see a change and we're confident these enhancements will meet the interests and demands of our players."

Lottery Post Staff

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CASH Only

Would NY change Take Five (5/39)? Jersey Cash 5 played like Take Five (without a two-number prize).

curt777's avatarcurt777

I see they upped the number

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