Cindy Brinkley and her partner Marcus have been regular players of the NJ Lottery Pick 4 game over many years, using the birthdays of family members to select their numbers.
However, on Aug. 22, 2018, when they stopped to get gas for their car at a local service station that was also a NJ Lottery retailer, the couple purchased some tickets for their regular game and had $1.00 left over. So, Marcus urged Cindy to purchase a Jersey Cash 5 Quick Pick ticket, but for some unknown reason he quickly changed his mind and suggested she play Jersey Cash 5 using their special numbers. Little did they know this would be a smart decision and that this would be their lucky game.
Later that night, while Cindy was visiting Marcus’ mother, he was home alone and decided to check their lottery tickets to find out if they just might have any winners. He was ecstatic to see that the numbers on the Jersey Cash 5 ticket they had purchased matched all five of the winning numbers for that night’s drawing.
He was thrilled and realized that they had not only won the $75,000 Jersey Cash 5 regular jackpot, but, thanks to a promotion running at the time they bought their ticket, that jackpot was actually $100,000.
Marcus was anxious to let Cindy know the great news that they had won “big money.” Over the years, Cindy and Marcus had developed a “code” of sorts to notify each other if one of them ever found out that they had a winning lottery ticket. So, Marcus sent Cindy a text using the code: Woo, woo, woo!” When she saw that message, Cindy was shocked and excited!
This was their first really big jackpot win.
The couple said it was an amazing feeling to realize they had actually won the lottery after playing their same numbers so many years. Cindy said their money will definitely take some of the financial pressure off of them and, since they had often talked about possibly moving to a different area, they just might start their search for where that area might be for them.
Power Gas, 205 Sanford Street in East Orange in Essex County is the “lucky Lottery retailer” that sold Cindy her winning Jersey Cash 5 ticket.