Essex County Store Celebrates Big Lottery Win: ‘We Finally Got One’

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Think back to May of 1995. The Yankees just called up a rookie from the minors named Derek Jeter. Coolio was topping the charts, and the first “Toy Story” was a few months from being released. That was also the year when the Eisenhower Exxon in Essex County got its license to sell New Jersey Lottery tickets.

The store, nestled on a busy corner of Eagle Rock Avenue and Eisenhower Parkway in Roseland, didn’t have a major prize winner for three decades. But that changed when the store sold a Pick-6 ticket worth $5.9 million in May – and nailed down a $10,000 bonus for itself.

The odds of a $2 ticket matching all six numbers in the Pick-6 game are 9,366,819 to 1.

“Thirty years and we finally got one,” said Jack Atmeh, who owns the store with his business partner and lifetime friend, Robert Wakile.

“Now, we can say we’re a lucky store,” Atmeh enthused.

The Eisenhower Exxon is one of nearly 6,800 retailers across the state that earned a total of $214 million in commissions and bonuses during fiscal year 2024, lottery officials said.

There have been several notable lottery wins in Essex County in the past year. Catch up with a few in the below articles (click headline to read the story):

Essex County Had 39 Big Lottery Wins In 2024, Officials Say

Nearly 500 lottery players across New Jersey captured five-figure prizes last year. That total includes dozens of wins in Essex County.

$1.5M ‘Win For Life’ Lottery Ticket Sold In Nutley: ‘I’m In Shock’

"We're always stressed about bills – this makes life a lot easier," the winner said.

Unexpected Detour Led South Orange Driver To $600K Lottery Win

A drive through Essex County ended with an unexpected reward for a New Jersey resident.

Irvington Pharmacy Sells $500K Lotto Ticket (Here Are The Winning Numbers)

A pharmacy in Essex County sold a ticket worth more than $500,000 for a Jersey Cash 5 drawing.

West Orange Store Sells $150K Lottery Ticket (See Lucky Numbers)

A store in Essex County sold a $150,000 ticket for a Jersey Cash 5 lottery drawing.

Newark Store Sells $50K Powerball Lottery Ticket

A Newark store sold a $50,000 lottery ticket. See the lucky numbers here.

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