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N.J. Store That Sold Winning Mega Millions Ticket to Donate $30K Commission Check to Charity

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"It's an amazing thing when you think about how lucky we are to be the store that sold this ticket," said Saker ShopRites CEO Richard Saker after the $1.13 billion lottery drawing

Published on March 28, 2024 01:28PM EDT

A ShopRite liquor store on Route 66 in Neptune Township, New Jersey. Photo:

Google Maps

The lucky mystery ticket holder of the $1.13 billion Mega Millions prize isn't the only winner from Tuesday's massive jackpot.

The winning ticket was sold at a ShopRite liquor store in Neptune, New Jersey, the New Jersey Lottery announced Wednesday. At a press conference held at the store's location Wednesday afternoon, Richard Saker, the CEO and president of Saker ShopRites, said the company is donating its commission check of $30,000 to the charitable program ShopRite Partners in Caring. 

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"I am very proud to accept this commission check," Saker said. "This check will go directly to Fulfill, which is the local food bank that is right up the street from Monmouth and Ocean County. I'm sure the food bank is really going to appreciate this donation."

According to its website, ShopRite Partners in Caring was founded in 1999 as a community-based program to fight hunger. Saker said at the press conference that, via the program, up to $60 million has been donated to New Jersey food banks and soup kitchens.

"It's an amazing thing when you think about how lucky we are to be the store that sold this ticket. It's 1 in 302 million," Saker added. "That is the chance of winning this lottery."

The New Jersey Lottery said Tuesday's drawing was the largest jackpot ever won in the Garden State with a cash value of $537.5 million. So far, the winner has yet to come forward to claim the prize.

The winning numbers from Tuesday's drawing were 7, 11, 22, 29, and 38, as well as the gold Mega Ball 4.

"Congratulations to the winner of this life-changing jackpot!" said New Jersey Lottery Executive Director James Carey in a press statement. "We encourage the winner to immediately sign the back of the ticket, make a copy of both sides and put it in a safe place. The Lottery has a Winner's Guide on our website at NJLottery.com and we encourage the winner to read it before reaching out to Lottery officials at 1-800-222-0996 to file a claim for this jackpot prize."

The New Jersey Lotter also said that there were 10 other tickets sold in the state that matched four of the five white balls from the drawing for prizes worth $10,000 and $20,000.

Meanwhile, the next Mega Millions drawing this Friday has been reset to $20 million.

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