A New Jersey man has become a multi-millionaire after following his wifeโs advice to return a bottle of orange juice, only to purchase the winning ticket for the $315.3 million Powerball jackpot.
Tayeb Souami, a 56-year-old resident of Little Ferry, went to a ShopRite in Hackensack on May 1 to buy the orange juice for $5. However, his wife suggested he return it, as the same item was being sold for $2.50 elsewhere. He heeded her suggestion and headed to the customer service counter.
While at the counter, Souami noticed a Powerball sign displaying a jackpot of $306 million, which caught his eye. “I like the number,” he thought, prompting him to buy two Powerball tickets with the refund he received for the orange juice.
Although Souami had planned to work in his backyard, he decided to first stop and get his car washed, noticing a 7-Eleven store nearby. Inside the store, he checked his lottery tickets. The first ticket was not a winner, but when the second ticket was scanned, the machine instructed him to see the cashier.
Thinking the scanner was malfunctioning, Souami asked the cashier to check the ticket. Her reaction was immediateโshe gasped, saying “Oh my God.” Unsure of what was happening, Souami asked her to clarify, but she kept repeating the phrase, causing his heart to race.
The cashier finally said only “big,” but Souami, an accountant by profession, didnโt want to see the prize amount just yet. He left the store, his hands shaking, and it took him two hours to make it home.
When Souami arrived, his wife was concerned about his delay. She started crying after he showed her the lottery form. At a press conference later, Souami shared how emotional he felt, walking in with a big smile on his face.
Souami explained that he didnโt immediately come forward because of his job. Originally from Africa, he works as an accountant for a food importing company, and he wanted to ensure his more than 200 colleagues would be well taken care of before making any big decisions. “I have to take care of them,” he said. “It’s not so easy to quit just like that.”
Souami has since left his job but plans to stay in his New Jersey hometown. His first priorities with the winnings are to pay off his college loans, fund his daughterโs college education, and pay off his home, which he had just refinanced.
Souami is the second New Jersey resident to win a major jackpot this year. Earlier, a Vernon resident claimed the $533 million Mega Millions prize. Souami, a father of two, opted for the cash payout of more than $183 million.
“I love orange juice now,” he laughed.
