TRENTON (July 3, 2025) – Sometimes to win big, it requires teamwork, a heaping of superstition and a whole lot of optimism. That’s how a group of nine South Jersey Lottery players in Camden County won the Jersey Cash 5 jackpot of $746,853 on Thursday, June 26.

“We buy tickets every week,” said the group leader tasked with making the team’s pool purchase. The buyer usually goes to a specific Wawa, but they were worried the store of choice had run out of luck. Fortunately, this is New Jersey where all roads lead to a Wawa. This one was at 421 Whitehorse Pike South in Lindenwold. “I figured it was time to change our luck. It was the first time I went there.”

The player ordered a set of numbers for a week’s worth of draws—some specific numbers and a quick pick. “Because I get a week’s worth of numbers, I was checking the tickets late Friday night—actually Saturday morning around 1 a.m.—I’m a night owl. I said ‘Let me see what we won.’ I was dumbfounded. It was the quick pick that won. I kept checking and rechecking. I couldn’t wait to call everybody in the morning,” the leader said.

When morning came, the leader called all teammates to let them know they hit the jackpot, which, divided by nine, amounted to around $80,000 per person.

“Nobody could believe it. They thought I was a joking! It was a blessing!” the leader said.

The team has been trying their luck for the better part of five years, taking part in multiple draw games, including the Cash 5.

“Last year we missed the Cash 5 by just one number. We were thrilled to even win that,” the winner recalled. “We like the Cash 5 because it is won so much.”

Indeed. The Jersey Cash 5 has had 34 jackpots won so far this year.

It’s no easy task to manage a group of Lottery players. The New Jersey Lottery recommends the groups that pool their money to buy tickets follow the following steps.

• Know who is in your pool and record who has contributed.
• Establish and agree to ground rules. Know what happens if the group wins.
• Recruit a pool member as your leader. Choose wisely.
• Keep all original tickets in a secure place.
• Determine what game you want to play.

To read more about group pool play, visit the New Jersey Lottery website here.

The Camden team members clearly were all for one. This victory won’t stop them from playing.

“We’ve been doing this for five years,” the group leader said. “We’re going to keep playing.”