North Jersey Player Rings in 2026 with $1.7 Million Lottery Win
A lucky New Jersey lottery player kicked off the new year in a huge way—winning $1.7 million on a $5 scratch-off!
The Hudson County winner took home the top prize in the Win for Life! scratch-off game, which officially launched in late November. Instead of receiving $10,000 a month for 25 years ($3 million total), the winner chose a lump-sum cash payout of $1,769,800.
The lucky ticket was purchased at 502 Grocery and Deli on Ocean Avenue in Jersey City. The game itself offers prizes ranging from $10 to $10,000, with three top prizes of $10,000 per month—and this marks the first of the three top prizes already claimed.
More Big Wins Around New Jersey
The excitement doesn’t stop there! The New Jersey Lottery also reported several other big winners this week:
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$250,000 – Crossword (Jan. 1): Sold at Millennium Food Mart, Bloomfield Avenue, Newark, Essex County.
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$200,000 – Merry Money Tree (Dec. 29): Sold at Wawa, Shore Road, Somers Point, Atlantic County.
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$200,000 – Merry Money Tree (Dec. 29): Sold at 7-Eleven, Monmouth Road, Oakhurst, Monmouth County.
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$184,057 – Fast Play Progressive (Jan. 1): Sold at Stop & Shop, Route 37 East, Toms River, Ocean County.
It looks like 2026 is off to a lucky start for New Jersey lottery players—and maybe you could be next!
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