First NJ Lottery Cash4Life top prize winners celebrate their win at retailer

Dec 4, 2014, 10:04 am (7 comments)

New Jersey Lottery

TRENTON, N.J. — New Jersey's first Cash4Life Top Prize winners, Joseph Ianiro and John Opaluch from Hasbrouck Heights, celebrated their win from the Nov. 13 drawing at the retail location from which the winning ticket was purchased.

The retail store owners, Anthony Bernice and Guy Bernice, became licensed lottery retailers in Feb. of 2013. They have been doing business under the store name of Heights Corner Store, located on 183 Boulevard, Hasbrouck Heights in Bergen County, which was previously reported as Nick's Quick Stop. 

Joseph Ianiro, 65, is a Reverend and performs "wedding ceremonies for those that either have their church turn them away or have no church." He is also a realtor and he "enjoys helping people find the house they want." 

John Opaluch, 58, works for a national bank as Vice President, Telecommunications. 

Ianiro and Opaluch have been married since Oct. 31, 2012 but have been in a committed relationship since Oct. 31, 1981.

Ianiro said that he enjoys playing lottery and has been doing so for many years.  He regularly plays the same numbers because of their personal significance.

When asked what they will do with the $7 million cash value proceeds of the ticket, an after tax value of approximately $5 million, Ianiro retold a conversation that he had with a friend who was celebrating 25 years of being addiction free. The friend said that if he had ever won the lottery he would pay it forward by donating to the addiction services organization that helped him to manage his life.

Ianiro is going to honor his friend's achievement by making his dreams come true with a donation to the addiction services facility.

In addition to the Top Prize winners, 43,078 other New Jersey Lottery Cash4Life players won $195,541 in prizes ranging from $2 to $2,500 from the Thursday, Nov. 13 drawing.  The winning numbers were: 7, 8, 16, 49, and 56. The Cash Ball was 4.

Cash4Life tickets are available exclusively in New Jersey and New York.  Players select five numbers from a field of one through 60, and then select a "Cash Ball" from a field of one through four.  Drawings are held on Monday and Thursday at approximately 9:00 p.m.

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Lottery Post Staff

Comments

haymaker's avatarhaymaker

It's always Bergen county, or Hudson or Essex counties, the 3 closest to NYC. LOL

ThatScaryChick's avatarThatScaryChick

Congrats to John and Joseph on their win! Cheers

noise-gate

Is It Just me or is there  an undercurrent of " religious wins"..

First we had Bro Roy, then we had the gymnasium/ church come into a windfall of $14 million. .

Now we have a Reverent win  yet again.

Perhaps its time to" turn"..

hearsetrax's avatarhearsetrax

Quote: Originally posted by noise-gate on Dec 4, 2014

Is It Just me or is there  an undercurrent of " religious wins"..

First we had Bro Roy, then we had the gymnasium/ church come into a windfall of $14 million. .

Now we have a Reverent win  yet again.

Perhaps its time to" turn"..

chris-chase

Maybe I am wasting my time on the lottery. Evidently I should be investing in vaseline stocks.

zirabamuzaale

Quote: Originally posted by chris-chase on Dec 4, 2014

Maybe I am wasting my time on the lottery. Evidently I should be investing in vaseline stocks.

Currently, Cash4Life is held only in New Jersey and New York. Hopefully other states that are interested  may join the game after January 1, 2015. Although it is very sinful to swear, should the game be introduced in Arizona, this will be the last lotto i sign on.

sully16's avatarsully16

I like that game, Congrats winners.

End of comments
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