1.9 Million Dollar NJ Lottery Ticket Sold In Belmar, NJ

A 1.9 Million dollar NJ lottery ticket was recently sold down the road from WRAT Radio in Belmar, NJ.

It’s exciting to see that someone is 1.9 million dollars richer. It’s more exciting for me and my fellow WRAT co-workers that the winning ticket was sold just a half a mile down the road at Shoprite on Route 35 in Belmar.

The New Jersey Lottery reported on Monday, July 8, 2024 that a 1.9 million dollar Jersey Cash 5 winning ticket was sold here in Belmar.

The exact amount of the winning ticket is $1,930,093, that’s life changing for most of us.

In the drawing held on Friday July 5^th, the winning ticket matched all 5 numbers. The Xtra number was 5 and the winning numbers are: 5.19,21,38, & 40, and 40 was the bullseye number.

Shoprite gets a bonus check for $2000 for selling the winning ticket.

Shoprite stores in several Monmouth & Ocean locations have sold quite a few nice sized lottery jackpots.

Back in February of this year, the Shoprite on Route 37 in Toms River sold a $50,000 Powerball ticket. The following month, the same Shoprite sold a $10,000 winner.

Let’s not forget that back in March of this year, the Shoprite on Route 66 in Neptune sold a ticket that was the 5th largest lottery prize in Mega Millions history, and the 9th largest in the United States. That 1.13-billion-dollar jackpot has gone unclaimed as of today.

If you’re keeping track, the winning numbers drawn on March 26, 2024 are: 7,11,22,29, & 38 and the Mega ball was 4.

It turns out that whoever purchased the winning ticket chose the numbers themselves rather than using the Quick Pick option which generates the numbers automatically via computer.

Check your tickets! There may be one sitting at the bottom of your pocketbook or stuffed in a drawer that could hold the key to a better life for you and your loved ones.

If you have some money wasting away in a savings account that doesn't have interest, then you might want to consider making your money grow with low-risk investments. Financial experts say that certain low-risk investments can really help pad your savings.

Before we get into the best low-risk investments, let's look at what exactly is a low-risk investment. The official definition is basically what you would expect from the definition of a low-risk investment. According to the financial experts at Capital.com, it's "an investment where there is perceived to be just a slight chance of losing some or all of your money. Low risk investments offer you a security blanket as they’re not likely to suddenly drop in value."

In contrast, according to Investopedia.com, "A high-risk investment is one for which there is either a large percentage chance of loss of capital or under-performance—or a relatively high chance of a devastating loss." They add that, "The first of these is intuitive, if subjective: If you were told there’s a 50/50 chance that your investment will earn your expected return, you may find that quite risky." So, for example, a 50/50 risk might not seem risky to some, but it might seem risky to others. An investment with a 99% risk will obviously seem risky to everyone. But, with high-risk investments come big payouts, so that's what lures people in. For example, a separate article from Investopedia.com states that some high-risk investments can double your money. That's obviously a much bigger return than you would see in your average investment. As they state, "Make no mistake, there is no guaranteed way to double your money with any investment. But there are plenty of examples of investments that doubled or more in a short period of time."

So, if you're interested in making a ton of money, or losing it all, high-risk investments such as investing in foreign emerging markets may be of interest to you. "A country experiencing a growing economy can be an ideal investment opportunity," experts at Investopedia.com state. "Investors can buy government bonds, stocks, or sectors with that country experiencing hyper-growth or ETFs that represent a growing sector of stocks." They add "spurts in economic growth in countries are rare events that, though risky, can provide investors with a slew of brand new companies to invest in to bolster personal portfolios."

Now, let's move onto some low-risk investments for those who don't want to risk losing their money. Of course, talk to your financial advisor before making any of these moves.

You've probably heard of CDs being low-risk investments. Fidelity.com explains that "CDs provide reliable, fixed-rate returns on a lump sum of money over a fixed period of time, such as six months, one year, or five years." They add that the great thing is that if you "get a traditional CD at a bank or credit union where they are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or the National Credit Union Association (NCUA)." Usually, CDs have a minimum deposit, and you’ll have to pay a penalty if you take your money out too soon.

High-yield savings accounts are like your regular savings account, but they earn more interest. "You can use these accounts for long-term savings goals or to hold extra money from your checking account," CreditKarma.com states. "For example, if you want to start saving for a house or building up an emergency fund, this could be a great option."

Forbes.com says that right now, the risk level for U.S. treasury bills, notes and bonds is "very low." They add that, "U.S. Treasury securities are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. Historically, the U.S. has always paid its debts, which helps to ensure that Treasurys are the lowest-risk investments you can own."

Fidelity.com states that, "Money market funds are mutual funds that invest in short-term, low-risk assets like Treasury and government securities, commercial paper, or municipal debt—depending on the focus of the fund." They add that, "Because their underlying investments are typically high quality, they are generally less volatile than other types of mutual funds, such as stock funds."

Fixed annuities are a pretty safe bet. As Forbes.com explains, "Fixed annuities are a popular type of annuity contract that are frequently used for retirement planning, but can also be useful for medium-term financial goals." They add that, "Sold by insurance companies and financial services companies, a fixed annuity guarantees a fixed rate of return over a set period of time, regardless of market conditions."

People talk about stepping outside of their comfort zone in life, but really, investing isn't a place to do this. You know how much money you have to "play" with, so if you're worried about putting too much money in the market, these low-risk investments could still help you make money on your money.