New Jersey woman wins major online jackpot

A New Jersey woman, Cathy Ruela of Morris County, has scored a major jackpot at the Harrahs online casino, collecting the biggest win since New Jersey online gambling was legalised a year ago.

Playing the “Millionaire Genie” slot on the night of November 6 she hit a $1,334,641 jackpot.

“I’d always play $20 here, $20 there,” she told the Associated Press news agency. “I was betting and betting, and all of a sudden I hit the jackpot. It was pretty amazing. It was late at night. I was trying to read the decimal point, but the number was too big to fit. I called my husband and said, ‘What does 1, 3, 3, 4, 6, 4, 1 mean?’ He said, ‘You won more than a million dollars.’ ”

The jackpot also ranks as the third-largest gaming prize awarded to a player in New Jersey this year, including land-based casinos and online.

Ruela said she started playing at HarrahsCasino.com in February.

“I was just in a little bit of shock when it hit,” she said. “You know when I’m at Harrah’s Atlantic City, there’s bells ringing and people all come over, and it gets verified by a staffer right there. So when it hit on HarrahsCasino.com, I stared at the computer screen for a moment trying to digest it all. But I’m happy to report it indeed is the same as in the physical casino, and even better I got to celebrate in my pajamas at home.”

Her family will use the money to pay off their mortgage, set up a college fund for their son and go on a winter vacation.

“It’s going to be a great Christmas for our family,” she said.