As I write this story, the Powerball jackpot stands at an incredible 687 million dollars.

Some never play Powerball, because they don't think they could win.  Sure, the odds of winning are steep, but someone has to win; right?  Why not us?

I observe with interest, people on line at the service desk at ShopRite buying their tickets.

Many choose the quick picks, and leave it up to chance.  Others seem to have some of the most complicated systems, and they take forever to buy their tickets.

I'm not sure there's any foolproof way of figuring out the exact numbers destined to be drawn.

Lucky Lottery Tickets
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Remember, each drawing is an independent occurrence.  Conditions are the same for each drawing.  The only change is the number of players playing.

Yet, some numbers have historically been drawn more often than others.  It's all a coincidence.

So now the question remains, should we play numbers that are drawn often; or those that aren't drawn often, but might be "due?"

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According to research done by USA Today, 2 white balls stand out as the coldest.

Two white balls, numbers 55 and 46 haven't been drawn since October.

Yet other numbers seem to come up more often.  According to the USA Today research the number 27 has come up 16 times, while the numbers 1 and 24 have each come up twelve times.

The numbers 12, 19, 25, and 63 have each been drawn 10 times.

What is your strategy?  Do you play cold numbers because they're bound to eventually get picked?  Or do you go with the hot numbers?

Keep in mind, the odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292,201,338.00.

For those who like instant gratification, instant scratch-off tickets are the way to go.

The key to improving your chances of winning is finding games with the most prizes remaining.  Keep scrolling for a comprehensive list of games with the most prizes for you to win.

New Jersey Scratch Off Games with the Most Remaining Prizes

These are the NJ Scratch-off tickets with the most prizes remaining as of January 2024.

Gallery Credit: Steve McKay/Townsquare Media

The Most Expensive Homes for Sale in NJ

This list of ultra-luxury homes for sale in New Jersey offers something for everyone- assuming you can afford the price tag.

Gallery Credit: Steve McKay/Townsquare Media