New Brunswick Man Wins $800,000 Lottery Ticket

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ - A New Brunswick man is the lucky winner of the Jersey Cash 5 lotto drawing, the state lottery announced Wednesday. Edward Devine, of New Brunswick, had the sole winning ticket for the $803,286 jackpot from the October 17 drawing, the lottery announced. That's significantly higher than the average Jersey Cash 5 winning of $295,000.

Devine bought the ticket at Peter's Liquors, a popular liquor store on Easton Avenue in downtown New Brunswick. The liquor store and keg depot is right by the New Brunswick campus and right across the street from Saint Peter's Medical Center. Devine told the lottery he plays Jersey Cash 5 every Monday, and has done so for years. This year was one of emotional extremes for him and his family, apparently, and it ended on a high note. The winning numbers were: 06, 07, 12, 35 and 36 the XTRA number was: 05.

"It feels good," said George, an employee who picked up the phone at Peter's Liquors Thursday. He said Devine is a "pretty regular" customer and that the entire store was happy for him. The liquor store has sold winning lottery tickets before, but never for this much.

He said the New Jersey Lottery called the store in October to inform them they sold a winning ticket. Peter's Liquors will receive a bonus check for $2,000 for selling the winning ticket.

The other winner announced was from the Nov. 6 drawing. Carmen A., a home healthcare provider from Camden, must split the winning ticket with a second winner, dividing the $154,446 jackpot. Carmen bought her ticket at South Camden Liquor. The second winning ticket was sold at Cherrywood Liquor & Lounge Inc. in Clementon and has not yet been claimed.

There have been 150 Jersey Cash 5 jackpot winners in 2016 so far and there are still 11 drawings left to go.