Dawn Jones, of Trenton, won the $1,000-a-day prize last month
TRENTON - A Trenton mother of two beamed as she was introduced Thursday as the winner of the Cash 4 Life lottery game worth $1,000 a day, and told reporters she had no plans to quit working two nursing jobs.
But Dawn Jones acknowledged she might just "call in rich" from time to time.
"I plan to stay a multimillionaire," Jones said, laughing.
She added that her schedule - full-time at a hospital in North Jersey and part-time at a hospital in South Jersey - might get cut back a little, though she did acknowledge she still went to work the day she won the lottery.
For Jones, the $1,000-a-day prize for life could be worth up to $7.3 million over the next 20 years, the maximum term of the payout. She declined to disclose her age.
Trenton family wins $429M Powerball jackpot
Jones said she has long struggled to pay bills and student loan payments. With the lottery winnings, Jones said she plans to pay off her loans and set up college funds.
"My daughters are going to school no problem," Jones said from behind a podium at the New Jersey Lottery headquarters in Trenton.
She also plans to relocate from Trenton, where he has lived her entire live.
"I'm not living in a great location," Jones said, adding that she was excited to move somewhere new.
Jones picked the winning numbers in the Aug. 8 Cash 4 Life drawing - 4, 7, 8, 12, 23 with the cash ball 1 - by playing the same combination of birthdays for her family members.
The odds of matching five balls plus the cash ball are one in 21.9 million. The game is offered in seven states including New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.
Kash and Angie Patel, who own the Krauszer's store in Rahway where the winning ticket was purchased, also won $30,000.
Jones said she was feeling a little "overwhelmed," with the winnings and what it meant for her family.
"I played to win but I didn't think I would," she said. "Now the bills are paid. There are no worries."
Anna Merriman may be reached at amerriman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @anna_merriman.