RED BANK: BON JOVI LOTTERY SCRATCHOFF UNVEILED (SO WE HEAR)

By BRIAN DONOHUE

If that person ahead of you in line at the Wawa buying a stack of scratch-off lottery tickets looks like they’re living on a prayer, well then, now there’s a lottery game really made for them.

Gov. Mikie Sherrill and Sayreville native and global rock icon Jon Bon Jovi yesterday unveiled a New Jersey Lottery’s scratch-off game bearing the rocker’s likeness at his Red Bank restaurant.

We think they did, anyway. More on that later.

The lottery game is called Jersey Legend. Folks can win up to $200,000.

But odds are, they will lose five dollars. Because, you know, it’s tough. So tough.

The new game cards were unveiled at a press conference at Bon Jovi’s JBJ Soul Kitchen, a pay-what-you-can restaurant celebrating its 15th anniversary this year.

We only stumbled on this by accident. And, really, we couldn’t confirm if the governer or the rocker were actually inside.
See, your intrepid reporter was on his way to Tubby’s Auto Center on West Street, (real Jersey legends) when he saw outside JBJ Soul Kitchen black Chevy Suburbans with tinted windows and men in suits and sunglasses – clear, telltale signs that the governor was around.

Thinking perhaps some news was afoot, he identified himself as a redbankgreen reporter to aides at the door and was told it was a closed press event for invitees only.

And redbankgreen was not an invitee.

redbankgreen’s view of the press conference at which the New Jersey Lottery unveiled new Jon Bon Jovi scratch-off tickets. (Photo by Brian Donohue)

But really, it didn’t make a difference if we made it or not.

We were only there for the delicious irony of a new version of what has been criticized for decades as a tax on on the poor, being unveiled in a restaurant with a core mission of feeding the needy.

See you on line at the Wawa!

redbankgreen editor Brian Donohue may be reached via email at [email protected] or by calling or texting 848-331-8331.