TRENTON, N.J. (Dec. 8, 2017) – The largest New Jersey Lottery Quick Draw game top-prize ticket won to date was sold on Nov. 19. The ticket was purchased at Murphy’s Tavern, 375 Union Blvd., Totowa in Passaic County. The lucky winner, David Mascera from Roseland, is a Sunday football regular at Murphy’s Tavern.   Mascera has enjoyed playing the game since its launch in July.   

Players can purchase a Quick Draw play for a $1 minimum up to a $10 maximum. Prizes can range from $1 up to $1,000,000 depending on the purchase amount. Players select from one up to ten numbers (or spots as they are called in the game) for each drawing from a matrix of 80 numbers. Mascera purchased his ticket for ten consecutive draws. He hand selected the same seven spots that he played for each drawing and wagered $10 per draw.  When a player matches seven spots, they win a $2,500 prize. Since Mascera wagered $10 per draw his prize was multiplied accordingly making his win $25,000.  

“I couldn’t believe it when I saw the numbers come up. I had all seven numbers on my ticket and there were still eight more numbers to be drawn,” said Mascera. “My buddy and I were going nuts! He took the ticket out of my hand and ran up to the screen to double check the numbers.”   

“We are excited about our first top prize Quick Draw winner,” said Carole Hedinger, New Jersey Lottery executive director. “The excitement of a big win surrounded by friends and neighbors in a social gathering spot such as Murphy’s Tavern enhances the joy.” Mascera said that after he realized that he had won, he bought a round of drinks for the entire bar of approximately 100 patrons.   In addition, Mascera is married with four children, so he has plenty of ways to use the prize money.   

The New Jersey Lottery launched Quick Draw on July 17, 2017 in 400 locations across the state.  As of November 30, there were 513 Quick Draw locations throughout New Jersey. Quick Draw is a keno-style game that electronically draws and displays the numbers on a television screen that is installed in retail locations where tickets are sold. Drawings are held every five minutes. Quick Draw is a social space lottery game and is available predominately in public venues such as bars, restaurants and bowling alleys, where players stay for a period of time to socialize, dine and meet with friends.