A 51-year-old customer service representative from Newark recently purchased a $10 CELEBRATING 45 YEARS Instant Game ticket from her local Wawa #868 on Route 4 in Newark. The woman couldn’t believe what she saw after scratching the play area. She had become the game’s first $45,000 top prize winner.

The woman, who wished to remain anonymous, said she started playing the Lottery over 30 years ago. She usually purchases multiple tickets at a time and likes to play later in the evenings. The woman was thrilled when the single Instant Game ticket she selected during this particular visit turned out to be a $45,000 winner.

“I’ve won smaller prizes, plus $1,000 and $10,000 playing Instant Games in the past, but never this much. It was such a thrilling surprise,” said the woman. “I called my coworker right away to share the good news.”

When asked what she was planning to do with the winnings, the woman said she will put it towards paying some bills and helping her family.

The woman claimed her prize from Lottery Headquarters on April 15, 2021.

lottery winner

Shore News Network Staff Report Latest posts

Shore News Network Staff Report is the official newsroom byline used by Shore News Network when a story is produced through the collaborative work of multiple members of the editorial team rather than a single reporter.

This newsroom account is reserved for articles that involve contributions from multiple journalists, editors, photographers, researchers, or news desk staff. It is also used for developing stories that are updated as new verified information becomes available, as well as for community announcements, weather coverage, public safety alerts, election results, and other newsroom-produced content.

Every article published under the Shore News Network Staff Report byline is reviewed and edited in accordance with the organization's editorial standards for accuracy, fairness, attribution, and transparency. Information is verified through official government agencies, court records, law enforcement, public documents, direct reporting, interviews, and other reliable primary and secondary sources before publication whenever possible.

The Staff Report account does not use artificial intelligence to independently generate news or publish unverified information. AI-assisted tools may occasionally be used for editorial support tasks such as transcription, formatting, grammar review, or workflow efficiency, but all published content is subject to human editorial oversight and approval by Shore News Network's newsroom staff.

As an independently owned digital news organization, Shore News Network is committed to original reporting, public safety journalism, government accountability, local community coverage, and breaking news throughout New Jersey and surrounding regions. Stories published under the Staff Report byline reflect the collective experience and editorial judgment of the Shore News Network newsroom.

Readers who have corrections, additional information, or news tips related to a Staff Report article are encouraged to contact the newsroom at news@shorenewsnetwork.com. Shore News Network welcomes factual corrections and updates as part of its commitment to accurate, transparent journalism.