A Mega Millions ticket bought in Union City, N.J., won the $90 million jackpot in Tuesday night’s drawing, the New Jersey Lottery announced Wednesday.
The ticket was sold Sunday night at Garden State News on Bergenline Avenue, Lottery Director James Carey said at a press conference outside the shop. He was flanked by store owner Krish Patel and two city commissioners — Maryury Martinetti, who leads the Department of Revenue and Finance, and Celin Valdivia, head of the Department of Parks and Recreation.
“I just found out this morning at 6:30 that we had a winner,” said Patel, who has owned the store since 2014. “It’s great for the player, for us and the community.”
Tuesday’s single ticket matched white balls 17, 25, 26, 53 and 60 plus gold Mega Ball 16 to take the sixth Mega Millions jackpot of 2025, the Mega Millions office said. Unlike the previous win a mere few weeks ago, this one took just five drawings to pony up rather than the 40 drawings that preceded the $983 million won in Georgia on Nov. 14.
The jackpot winner had the option to cash in immediately for $42 million or choose to collect the full $90 million via annuity over the next 30 years. The buyer chose to get the cash upfront, while the store will get $30,000 for selling the ticket.
“This is the eighth time since 2018 that the New Jersey Lottery has sold a winning Mega Millions jackpot ticket or a winning Powerball jackpot ticket, and I just find that incredible,” Carey said. “New Jersey really punches above its weight in terms of big winners. We hope to have even more.”
He said other states’ lottery directors tell him members of the public gripe to them about the perceived preponderance of jackpot winners in California and New Jersey. Carey attributed California’s wins to ticket volume and New Jersey’s to luck.
New Jersey has “an awful lot of lucky people” picking the right numbers, he said. “I think we’re the luckiest state in the country.”
The winner has not yet come forward, and Carey advised any winner to sign and photograph their ticket, stash it safely somewhere, and then tell as few people as possible while the news settles in. He also emphasized that New Jersey law allows winners to remain anonymous.
