From physical pain to monetary gain

By Kate Northrop

WASHINGTON BOROUGH, N.J. — A New Jersey construction worker, whose body he says is "falling apart," is grateful to have finally won a $1.7 million Cash 5 jackpot after decades of trying.

One New Jersey man's never-give-up strategy of daily persistence paid off when he won a $1.7 million Cash 5 jackpot in January.

An anonymous construction worker told the New Jersey Lottery about his unwavering dedication to reaching for the Jersey Cash 5 jackpot over the past few decades.

"I've played the Lottery every day since the 1980s," the winner revealed. "I'm still going to play. I still feel lucky."

On Jan. 28, the devoted player purchased four plays for Cash 5 at Krauser's Food Store on West Washington Avenue in Washington Borough. That evening, the game drew the winning numbers 11, 18, 22, 35, and 45, with Xtra number 45 and Bullseye number 45.

After all these years, he could not believe that one of his Quick Picks had matched the drawn numbers.

"I kept looking at my tickets on the fridge; I couldn't believe what I was looking at," he said while claiming the $1,699,120 jackpot at the store he purchased his winning ticket.

He had actually come close to winning the jackpot this past summer, having matched four out of five balls for a "few hundred bucks."

But this win is much more substantial, and it'll provide him with a good backup.

"My body's killing me from years in construction," the winner told Lottery officials. "I don't know how much more working I got. My body's falling apart."

While the winner, who does odd home improvement projects, does not have any immediate plans for the prize, he jokingly alluded to a possible use for the winnings.

For context, New Jersey is the only state that prohibits drivers from pumping their own gas. Some residents enjoy it since it means not having to get out of the vehicle, but the construction worker doesn't let aches and pains — or the law — stop him from doing it himself.

"I don't let them [gas station attendants] do it! A guy broke a nozzle once in my truck! I don't trust them. Maybe I can buy a new truck now," the winner quipped.

For selling the winning ticket, the retailer received a $2,000 bonus commission from the Lottery.

The Jersey Cash 5 jackpot currently stands at $359,000 for the next drawing on Friday, Feb. 14. Drawings take place every day at 10:57 p.m. Eastern Time. Tickets cost $2.   A courier service offers online purchases with a service fee.

All winning numbers, prizes, and odds can be found on Lottery Post's New Jersey Lottery Results page right after each drawing.