A New Jersey man found his winning ticket just eight days before the redemption deadline. The ticket sat crumpled in his pocket for almost a year.
May 20, 2026, 04:59May 20, 2026, 04:59
For almost a year, the ticket for a lottery win of 5.9 million US dollars (almost 4.7 million francs) was crumpled up in a trouser pocket. The owner found the note just eight days before the redemption deadline.
A lottery booth in the USA. (symbol image)Image: imago
The man from the US state of New Jersey bought the Pick 6 ticket on May 22, 2025 at an Exxon gas station in Roseland. After that he fell into oblivion.
A television report provided the decisive clue. In April 2026, the media reported on the still unredeemed prize – and named the place of sale. The man recognized the gas station as his regular stop. Employees advised him to search his documents thoroughly: only a few regular customers regularly bought Pick 6 tickets there.
He searched his house – and found what he was looking for. The crumpled winning ticket was in the pocket of an old pair of trousers. According to NJ Lottery, he immediately took it to the gas station. The lottery has not announced who the winner is. Nothing is known about his plans with the money.
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