New Jersey Lottery Pays $1 Million to Tinton Falls Man

Michael Kozuch won the state's grand prize in the Another Millionaire Second-Chance drawing, with Ron Eils taking runner-up honors.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Gambling

Bold vector editorial illustration of an upright gold ticket shape on deep teal with cream tickets fanning behind it, evoking a lottery prize win. — Michael Kozuch, a 66-year-old project manager from Tinton Falls, won New Jersey's $1 million grand prize in the Another Millionaire Second-Chance drawing. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Do you think playing the lottery is a reasonable way to get ahead financially?

Michael Kozuch, 66, a project manager from Tinton Falls, won the New Jersey Lottery grand prize of $1 million. Ron Eils, 83, a retired forklift operator from Pompton Plains, won $100,000 as the runner-up.

Why it matters

The Another Millionaire Second-Chance drawing gives VIP Club members a chance at large prizes through eligible Pick-6 tickets. For New Jersey players, it shows how second-chance promotions can turn routine lottery play into a major payout.

The grand prize was $1 million and the runner-up prize was $100,000, while the 20 second-chance contestants each received $10,000 and VIP packages for the November 1 game. The source does not report how many total entries qualified for the drawing.

The players

New Jersey Lottery

The state agency that operates the lottery games and the Another Millionaire Second-Chance promotion, which awarded the prizes in this drawing.

Michael Kozuch

A 66-year-old project manager from Tinton Falls and regular New Jersey Lottery player who won the $1 million grand prize and said he needs to replace his 20-year-old car.

Ron Eils

An 83-year-old retired forklift operator from Pompton Plains in Morris County who won the $100,000 runner-up prize.

The details

Twenty contestants were eliminated one by one at halftime of the November 1 New York Jets game against the Las Vegas Raiders at MetLife Stadium, wearing Jets jerseys numbered one through twenty. The final two were announced as winners by Director James Carey, who presented ceremonial checks.

September 8 through October 3: Pick-6 tickets with Double Play were eligible for Second-Chance entry.
November 1: Winners were announced at the Jets vs. Raiders game at MetLife Stadium.

Season Trajectory

Second-chance promotions like Another Millionaire extend the life of routine lottery tickets by tying them to live events. The format gives state lotteries a way to reward repeat players while keeping draw-based games in the public eye.

Eligible Pick-6 tickets with Double Play entered players into the second-chance drawing between September 8 and October 3. Players who want a similar chance must be VIP Club members, since the drawing was limited to that group.

The takeaway

Second-chance promotions can turn everyday lottery play into a real payout opportunity. Players who keep tickets from eligible games may want to check for promotions tied to their membership status.