Hospital Trip Worth A Share Of $1 Million For NJ Lottery Winner

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ — Break a leg: It’s a “good luck” wish that’s not just for the theater anymore. After all, a trip to the hospital worked for one lucky lottery winner this week.

A patient in his 80s got to share in the winnings of a $1 million winning Mega Millions purchased by the staff at Jefferson Hospital in Stratford, according to a spokesperson for the hospital.

He had been hospitalized for an undisclosed injury he suffered while on his way to buy a ticket for the $1.6 billion drawing on Tuesday. When he told staff, they felt bad for him and invited him to join in on a pool they had going.

In the end, he was a big winner despite his initial bad luck. He and 141 other people shared in the winning $1 million lottery ticket. The hospital was unable to identify the patient or his injury due to HPPA laws.

However, NBC 10 has identified the man as 87-year-old Earl Livingston, of the Blackwood section of Gloucester Township. His niece told the news station she initially thought he was confused, but realized what was happening when the nurses came in and were congratulating him. He reportedly needs a hip replacement, so what else what they would be congratulating him for, after all?

A family member wasn't immediately available for comment to Patch on Thursday.

The hospital on East Laurel Road is about four minutes from Quick Food Store in Lindenwold, where one of the two $1 million lottery tickets was sold in South Jersey.

The other winning ticket was sold at Plaza Liquors on Clements Bridge Road in Deptford. Read more here: Pair Of $1 Million Lottery Tickets Sold In South Jersey

The winning numbers for October 23 were the white balls 5, 28, 62, 65 and 70, plus the gold Mega Ball 5.

The history-making Mega Millions jackpot smashed the former Mega Millions record of $656 million set in March 2012, and is close to the $1.586 Powerball prize in January 2016 (final sales are still being compiled).

A ticket purchased in South Carolina won the $1.6 billion grand prize. For the next drawing on Friday, October 26, the jackpot resets to its starting value of $40 million ($22.8 million cash).

So if you plan on playing, good luck. Or rather, break a leg.

On Thursday, the day after the lottery announcement, many of the winners posed for a group photo in front of the hospital. The attached image of the lottery winners from the hospital was provided by Jefferson Hospital Stratford