Wyckoff Million Dollar Powerball Winner Steps Forward

• (Editor's Note: Wyckoff Patch has agreed not to print the subject's full name in respect to privacy.)

Last Thursday Richard went to work and turned on his computer in what had become something of a weekly ritual. A regular lottery player for years, he would often wait until Thursday morning to pull up the New Jersey Lottery website to see if any of the numbers he played the night before had hit. He’s played the Mega Millions and Powerball frequently over the years to varying success. His biggest haul to date was winning $800 over the course of a few days.

A week ago he hit it much bigger. As the lottery numbers appeared on his computer screen he froze as he slowly compared it with the ticket in his hand.

19, 20, 42, 56, 58

He missed only the red ball power number, selecting 34 instead 37.

“There was a colleague in the office. Someone I worked with for 16 years,” Richard said. “I asked her to come in and read the screen to me because I didn’t believe what I was seeing. Am I really seeing what I’m seeing?”

Although Richard knew he had a winning ticket, he wasn’t sure how big the win was. The N.J. lottery site only provides specific prize amounts for the winning jackpot.

“So I knew I had a winning ticket but I didn’t know for what value. I knew I won $200,000 based on having five numbers in a row. I didn’t realize I played a PowerPlay, which multiplied the amount of the win,” he said.

It didn’t just multiply the win..it quintupled it…turning Richard’s already impressive $200,000 into a cool million.  According to the New Jersey Lottery website "PowerPlay® is a special feature that allows a winner to multiply the original prize amount by 2, 3, 4 or 5 times not including the jackpot. The Match 5 prize with PowerPlay® option will always be multiplied 5X's for $1 million cash."

He wasn’t aware of the quantum leap in prize money until the clerk at the

“I was shocked. I was shocked,” he said. “When I first called my wife and said we’ve won about $200,000 she thought I was pulling her leg.  When I called her an hour later and said you’re not going to believe this. The figure is a lot larger. She was taken aback. She still is.”

Over the past week Richard has been judicious in those he’s shared the news with. Only his wife, a few co-workers and his doctor are privy to his windfall. For the time being he plans on keeping the news close to his vest. For the sake of his anonymity Patch has agreed not to identify him by last name.

Richard expects to receive the Powerball check in about four weeks. His biggest fear? Not being one of those people he’s read about that stumbles miserably after coming into sudden, unexpected wealth.

“The reality of it is a lot of people who win big bucks go bankrupt in two years. I’m not talking about the guys that win $100 million, but the people who win $50,000 or so. They forget to pay off their existing debts and buy things that devalue and wind up going bankrupt. It’s sad someone could win a nice sum of money and you would think it would ease them up a little bit, but they wind up going broke.”

A 60ish small business owner who works in financial services, Richard said his company has started to slowly rebound from the recession. He plans to continue working and said he’ll invest the money wisely, living off of only the interest until he retires.

"I’ll continue working. I love what I do and as long as I’m healthy I’ll continue doing it for a few years," he said. “I’m not going to touch the money.  I’ll just put it aside for now.”

Has it sunk in yet? “Not really. I’m actually trying to get it out of my mind. It’s a great distraction, but I try not to think of it all day long. When I get the check I’ll believe it.”