Retired trucker wins $1M NJ Lottery 'second chance' jackpot

Mar 6, 2020, 2:49 pm (7 comments)

New Jersey Lottery

Includes video report

ASBURY PARK, N.J. — James Wood shot up out of his seat Friday the second his name was called. He had the feeling all week that this would be his day.

The Little Egg Harbor man, a retired trucker, won $1 million in Asbury Park Convention Hall at the New Jersey Lottery Million Dollar Replay event. 

He turned and gave a tearful hug to his brother-in-law, Jeffrey Brook, who accompanied him to Friday's event, which you can see in the video above. 

The part Wood, 56, was most excited for was telling his 16-year-old daughter after school that he won.

"I told her I'm going to send a limo for her if I won," Wood said. He said he planned two vacations, one of which was going to be to Hawaii. The other? "I'm going to Disneyland," Wood said. He also said he would give his brother-in-law a new patio.

The year-long NJ Lottery Million Dollar Replay program offers lottery players a second chance to win cash with eligible, non-winning instant tickets. Fourteen other winners received cash prizes ranging from $10,000 to $100,000. 

“This is the ninth consecutive year that New Jersey Lottery has held this spectacular event to provide lottery players with second chances to win cash prizes with previously non-winning scratch-off game tickets," New Jersey Lottery Executive Director James Carey said. "Our semi-finalists were in the audience to experience the anticipation, excitement and potential of becoming a millionaire,” Carey said.

Also awarded during the event were the following secondary prizes:

  • Two (2) winners of $100,000
  • Three (3) winners of $50,000
  • Four (4) winners of $25,000
  • Five (5) winners of $10,000

VIDEO: Watch the winning moment

News story photo(Click to display full-size in gallery)

News story photo(Click to display full-size in gallery)

News story photo(Click to display full-size in gallery)

app, Lottery Post Staff

Comments

Cassie8620's avatarCassie8620

Aw.

Congrats. I am very happy for this nj man,retired. 

Enjoy!Hurray!

utilize it wisely,so it'll last.White Bounce

 

#invest $$$

music*'s avatarmusic*

Very good luck for James Wood. James is retired at the age of 56? Excellent career planning.

 Now to fund his retirement and enjoy life.

Artist77's avatarArtist77

Egg Harbor? Where is our good egg Haymaker from Egg Harbor?

Gomaro

I'm glad you won..after driving them ol large cars all your life I know you deserve it. I've drove a few myself. Enjoy your good fortune.

MsDiamond600's avatarMsDiamond600

This is amazing so happy for Mr. Wood.  Asbury, my home town so many great memories at Convention Center/Beach.

Super Congratulations to you sir Party

Bleudog101

Coming back from Atlantic City and too quickly glancing @ the article.   I'm like 'why not stay anonymous'.   Finally read the whole article and now see why.

Congratulations James on your well deserved win and of course retirement @ 56!

haymaker's avatarhaymaker

Quote: Originally posted by Artist77 on Mar 7, 2020

Egg Harbor? Where is our good egg Haymaker from Egg Harbor?

Hi Artist77,

Thanks for asking, have not posted in a long time, as I started to feel like I was repeating myself.

I still read the news stories now and then to keep up.

As for this story the winner is in another town called LITTLE Egg Harbor, about 25 miles north of me.

Not sure if that's named after my town or the Little Harbor they have, maybe their little Harbor is named after our big Harbor. LOL !

 

The story makes it sound like he is a little man from Egg Harbor and then you look at his picture and no...he looks like a truck driver !

 

 

Everyone stay safe from covid19, we will win this together by staying apart !

End of comments
Subscribe to this news story