Hudson County Mother Of 2 Celebrates $4M Lottery Win

HUDSON COUNTY, NJ — First, she’s going to pay off her debts. Then, she’s going to buy the Mercedes that she’s always wanted. That’s what a Hudson County woman said following her recent $4 million lottery win in New Jersey, officials said.

“Joanne,” a mother of two from Bayonne, woke up early and began her morning routine as usual last November. Then - casually - she checked her tickets for the Dec. 1, 2017 Mega Millions drawing.

And that was when the celebration begun.

Joanne spent the rest of the morning running around the house waking up her family and having them doublecheck the numbers for her. Her two sons weren’t thrilled about their mom waking them up so early, but quickly changed their tunes when they learned that they were millionaires, New Jersey Lottery officials said.

The lucky winner signed her ticket and brought it back to where she purchased it, Quick Chek #095 at 260 Broadway in Bayonne, where she got confirmation that she had the right numbers.

Now it’s just a matter of choosing the color of her car.

WHAT HAVE THEY DONE WITH THE MONEY?

What have some other recent New Jersey lottery winners decided to do with their winnings?

After winning $24 million in 2016, an Essex County grandfather of 12 said that he plans to have an "all-family discussion" about what to do with the windfall.

• See related article: New Jersey Grandfather Finds $24M Lottery Ticket In Old Shirt

Following a $1,256,093 prize win in a 2016 Jersey Cash 5 drawing, a young man working as clerk at Jefry Supermarket on Ocean Avenue in Jersey City became a success symbol for convenience store clerks nationwide when he bought the store from his former employer. He's now back on the job and working hard… but this time as his own boss.

• See related article: N.J. Store Clerk Buys Old Workplace After Lottery Win

A Paramus man won $1 million playing New Jersey Lottery's Mega Millions game in 2017 and said he planned to use the money to pay off some bills. "The win gives Gerard and his family a lot of comfort and financial stability as they look towards their retirement," lottery officials said.

• See related article: Paramus Man Wins $1M Playing NJ Lottery's Mega Millions

After winning a New Jersey Lottery jackpot for the second time in a year, a Hudson County ironworker stated that he wanted to use part of his winnings to help his fiancée create a dream wedding for her daughter.

• See related article: Hudson County Man Wins N.J. Lottery Jackpot Twice At Same Store

A medical billing receptionist from Bloomfield won $634,831 in a 2016 Jersey Cash 5 drawing. She waited almost a year to tender her claim because she didn’t want to squander “found money.” She said that her goal was to buy a house in a town with good schools for her daughter that was "closer to the coast where her family lives."

• See related article: N.J. Woman Waits 10 Months To Cash Winning Lottery Ticket (Here's Why)

A Middlesex borough woman claimed a $100,000 prize playing Bingo Bonus Square in 2017. The retiree said that she was going to save the winnings for her future needs and will also share some with her children.

• See related article: Middlesex Woman Wins $100,000 in NJ Lottery Bingo

After winning $500,000 with a series of scratch off lottery tickets bought in Whippany, a New Jersey woman and her husband said that they planned to use the winnings to pay off some bills and their children's college expenses.

• See related article: Woman Turns $25 Lottery Win Into $500,000 In Whippany

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Photo: NJ Lottery