N.J. woman claims $1 million New York Mega Millions ticket

Drawing Date: 12/22/2015

February 10, 2016 - For Julisa Sosa of East Windsor, N.J., the timing was perfect. The 43-year-old administrative assistant for a Manhattan-based non-profit decided to claim her $1 million second prize from the December 22, 2015, New York Mega Millions drawing just as Yolanda Vega was preparing to present an over-sized prize check to another recent jackpot winner, Rigoberto Meijia of Staten Island (Meijia won the top prize on the $7,000,000 Golden Ticket).

Sosa said she was excited and nervous to see Vega in action. “It was kind of nerve-wracking for me, but he seemed like he was having fun,” she said referring to Meijia.

Sosa said her own winning experience began a few days earlier while lying in bed suffering from a cold. “I couldn’t sleep so I was Facebooking and it dawned on me that I should check my numbers. I got excited when I saw the first two numbers and started crying when I realized I had five.”

The winning numbers for the December 22 Mega Millions drawing were 11, 21, 40, 50, 70 and Mega Ball 15.

The single mom said she bought her ticket - a Quick Pick - while out doing errands. “I stopped at the dry cleaners and then went next door for a ticket,” she said. She bought her $1,000,000 winner at Ally’s Smokes and Magazines at 158 W 30th St. in Manhattan.

Sosa plans to use her prize to pay off her daughter’s college tuition and take a vacation to the Amalfi Coast of Italy. “I Googled it not too long ago,” she said. “Now, I can go there.”