Garden State grows Mega Millions jackpot winner
TRENTON, N.J. — The winner of a $533 million lottery jackpot wasn’t sure he could believe his eyes. So when his mother called to say someone in his new home state had won it, his response was: It wasn’t me.
Forty-seven-year-old Richard Wahl, of Vernon, New Jersey, was introduced Friday during a news conference at lottery headquarters after winning the half-billion-dollar March Mega Millions drawing, the largest single jackpot in state history.
Wahl, a production manager at a food services company in the northern part of the state, said he plans to retire and take the cash payout over the annuity, totaling $220.7 million after taxes.
“It was truly amazing. Some of my family members were sleeping, so I didn’t go and scream out. I walked upstairs. I saw my wife … and said, ‘Baby, we get to go on vacation.’ She said, ‘What are you talking about? Don’t be an idiot.’”
He said he checked the numbers 15 times, kept the ticket in a fireproof safe and wanted to be sure the win was for real before he told other family members.
He bought the winning ticket at a Lukoil gas station in northern New Jersey and said the numbers were machine picked.
“That’s why we believe it’s God’s plan,” he said.
He said he went back to the Lukoil to fuel up after he won but before he came forward. It happened to be the same day the state lottery was presenting a $30,000 check to the station for having sold the winning ticket. He said he saw all the cameras and decided to walk out, worried that he might be recognized since he wasn’t ready to come forward yet.
“For us the plan is to do a lot of good things with it,” Wahl said. “It’s not only life-changing money for me, but I want it to be life-changing money for family, friends, people in need.”