Washington Township Couple Wins $1M Playing Powerball

TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON, NJ — Usually, calling a family member or waking a spouse up in the middle of the night means something bad happened.

Not in this case.

Niles and his wife Sara Malvasia won $1 million playing Powerball. Late that night Niles checked the ticket they purchased for the game's Jan. 6 drawing and saw something amazing. Malvasia filed the winning claim with the New Jersey Lottery.

The ticket matched the five white balls drawn, good enough for the second-tier $1 million prize. He immediately woke up his wife, Sara and called his mother to tell them the good news.

His mother, sensing something good happened, asked her son if he won the lottery before he told her the good news.

The Township of Washington couple plans on retiring and moving to Florida within the next few years.

The winning ticket was purchased at a 7-Eleven store in Hackensack, NJ Lottery officials said.

Email daniel.hubbard@patch.com

Photo: Niles and Sara with their ceremonial check from the NJ Lottery showing their winning Powerball prize of $1 million. (Courtesy of NJ Lottery)