N.J. woman wins $2M from gift scratch-off lottery ticket from dad, takes family on vacation

Jan 15, 2019, 11:28 am (15 comments)

New Jersey Lottery

By Todd Northrop

A New Jersey woman who received scratch-off lottery tickets as a gift from her father won big when one turned out to be worth $2 million.

Melissa Spagnola, of Little Silver, won the top prize for the "100X The Bucks" ticket her father bought at Wawa, located at 210 Georgetown Wrightstown Road in Wrightstown (Burlington County), state lottery officials said Tuesday.

Spangola said she doesn't buy tickets for herself, only for family members like her parents who are long-time players. The family wasn't even celebrating a special occasion when her father bought her tickets last year. In fact, her parents don't even buy other gifts anymore — just lottery tickets.

She told lottery officials that she scratched off the $20 ticket in front of her family. Melissa didn't know how to play the game, but thought she might have won; so, she showed it to her parents and asked "Is it real?" One look and they confirmed that it was, in fact, really a winning ticket for $2,000,000.

Everyone was in shock and Melissa said the experience felt surreal. Her sister was in tears.

Spangola took her family on vacation to the Bahamas with her winnings and plans to share some of the windfall with them. She said the rest will help with financial stability.

Grand prize winners can opt either for 25 annual gross installments of $80,000 each or the cash option of $1,458,000. In 2017, a Manalapan couple also won $2 million playing "100X The Bucks." That scratch-off game has since concluded.

Spagnola claimed her winnings April 21, 2018. Lottery officials often wait weeks or months to announce prize winners, though.

Lottery Post Staff

Comments

Bleudog101

Best gift of all, sharing it with APPRECIATIVE loved ones.  Congratulations.

 

Little Silver rings a bell for me, will have to get Atlas out.  Reminds me of a train stop I'd take from Ft. Monmouth area to NYC...help me out NJ LP members.

CDanaT's avatarCDanaT

Scratchers as gifts are always nice....Congrats Melissa Thumbs Up Have a fantastic life with your newly acquired wealth.

music*'s avatarmusic*

Congratulations to Ms. Spagnola!  I hope she still has some left since claiming on April 21,2018

"Lottery officials often wait weeks or months to announce prize winners" This should give some hope to the winners in the States that do not grant anonymity. Ask to be treated the same way.

Party

TheMeatman2005's avatarTheMeatman2005

Quote: Originally posted by Bleudog101 on Jan 15, 2019

Best gift of all, sharing it with APPRECIATIVE loved ones.  Congratulations.

 

Little Silver rings a bell for me, will have to get Atlas out.  Reminds me of a train stop I'd take from Ft. Monmouth area to NYC...help me out NJ LP members.

TheMeatman2005's avatarTheMeatman2005

Congrats on the win!

I could use a gift like that.

sweetie7398's avatarsweetie7398

CongratulationsWhite Bounce

Cassie8620's avatarCassie8620

oh thank you for this link.

 

i did not hear of a little silver 

in nj. Smileycute name for a town and i bet it's nice there,

 

or sound like it would be a little nice place to live there.

 

Congrats to the winner!

So lovely to hear this story.

 

G-night all and good luck to all playing their lottery games

this evening and rest of week,

month.Smiley

noise-gate

Quote: Originally posted by music* on Jan 15, 2019

Congratulations to Ms. Spagnola!  I hope she still has some left since claiming on April 21,2018

"Lottery officials often wait weeks or months to announce prize winners" This should give some hope to the winners in the States that do not grant anonymity. Ask to be treated the same way.

Party

Morning Mr Happy Camper- could it be you who bagged 2nd prize in the MM jackpot last night- Fresno resident, right? No, no, you don't have to say it...but congrats.

Party

Bleudog101

Thanks TheMeanman2005.  Clicked on your link and there it was.  I used to live in Long Branch, NJ when stationed @ Ft. Monmouth.  Three block walk to the ocean!  Thanks to BRAC which I never personally agreed with, that post closed.  Most military bases in the Northeast closed. Same for the hospital in Nuernberg where I was stationed, it closed too.

music*'s avatarmusic*

Quote: Originally posted by noise-gate on Jan 16, 2019

Morning Mr Happy Camper- could it be you who bagged 2nd prize in the MM jackpot last night- Fresno resident, right? No, no, you don't have to say it...but congrats.

Party

NO, I did not win the 2nd level prize in MM. The ticket is worth only $312,703.00 before taxes. That is Fed taxes only. CA does not tax lottery products.  East Kings Canyon Blvd is a six-lane road. It leads to the National Park of Kings Canyon. 

 When I do win big I will be silent for a period of time.Wink 

noise-gate

Quote: Originally posted by music* on Jan 16, 2019

NO, I did not win the 2nd level prize in MM. The ticket is worth only $312,703.00 before taxes. That is Fed taxes only. CA does not tax lottery products.  East Kings Canyon Blvd is a six-lane road. It leads to the National Park of Kings Canyon. 

 When I do win big I will be silent for a period of time.Wink 

"The ticket is worth Only $300K." Nice knowing your present checking or savings account exceeds that amount music..lol.

*On a side note, that is some serious walking around money. As someone once said " l could always use another hundred grand."

music*'s avatarmusic*

Quote: Originally posted by noise-gate on Jan 16, 2019

"The ticket is worth Only $300K." Nice knowing your present checking or savings account exceeds that amount music..lol.

*On a side note, that is some serious walking around money. As someone once said " l could always use another hundred grand."

Green laughnoise-gate, You caught me! I could use a couple of hundred grand. 

 My picture may be posted on their website. If I ask politely it may not be. 

 Good Luck with Power Ball tonight, $42.8 million after taxes. Now, this is the serious money we all talk about. Of course, all of my income for 2019 will increase my taxes as a whole. To be paid by April 15, 2020

 The White Beaches await you and can you hear the siren song calling you noise-gate? 

golfer1960's avatargolfer1960

You're right Meatman, there is a Little Silver train station that runs to NYC. I live in Eatontown but worked in Little Silver for years.

Bleudog101

Quote: Originally posted by golfer1960 on Jan 18, 2019

You're right Meatman, there is a Little Silver train station that runs to NYC. I live in Eatontown but worked in Little Silver for years.

golfer1960...Happy New Year.  Couldn't think of your 'handle' to send you a Happy New Year's wish.

We had a blast @ Borgata over New Years.  Played your Cash 4 Life and MM while there, so far $10 won.

Subscribe to this news story