New Jersey man joins winning lottery pool after breaking hip

Oct. 25 (UPI) -- Earl Livingston of Blackwood, N.J., was able to join a winning lottery pool while being hospitalized after he broke his hip.

Livingston, 87, injured himself while he was walking to buy his own lottery ticket on Tuesday. He was then admitted to Jefferson Stratford Hospital where a physician's assistant allowed Livingston to join the pool after hearing about his story.

The pool, which consisted of 141 people, included a winning $1 million ticket that was purchased in Lindenwold, N.J.

"I want to thank everybody," Livingston, who will need a hip replacement said to NBC 10. "I appreciate very much and God bless you and have a happy, happy long life!"

The lottery has been dominating headlines after a winning Mega Millions ticket worth a record-breaking $1.5 billion was purchased in South Carolina. The winning numbers of 5, 28, 62, 65 and 70 were announced on Tuesday.

The winner has 180 days to claim the prize, either as a cash lump sum or as an annual annuity that is paid over 30 years.

There was still no winner on Wednesday for the Powerball jackpot, growing the grand prize to $750 million. The total is the third largest jackpot in U.S. history and the second largest for Powerball.

Another Powerball drawing takes place on Saturday.