It's the worst kept secret in Clark this week: Deana Scherb, wife of Clark Police Captain Al Scherb, is the lucky winner of $1 million on a New Jersey Lottery scratch-off ticket.

Though the Scherbs are keeping quiet and have so far declined interviews and lottery fanfare, Scherb told Patch he will continue to serve as captain of the department despite the windfall. Scherb serves as officer-in-charge since the retirement of Chief Denis Connell and, according to Mayor Bonaccorso, will likely be made Chief.

Scherb says his wife purchased the scratch-off on Wednesday of last week.

Judy Drucker, public relations manager for the NJ Lottery, told Patch that Scherb's scratch-off was the NJ Lottery's "$100 Million Dollar Spectacular" game and was purchased at the Clark Exxon at 226 Westfield Avenue.

According to the NJ Lottery website, only 16 of the 13.5 million tickets printed of this specific scratch-off hold the $1 million grand prize. The scratch-offs cost $10 each.

Andy Singh, manager of the Westfield Avenue Exxon, is thrilled his store sold such a lucky ticket.

"This is the first big winner we sold here," Singh said Friday. "We do get a percentage, but I'm not sure how much. We have to figure that out."

Singh says he first found out about the win from Capt. Scherb, who came into the store and relayed the news before heading to Trenton to cash-in the ticket. Singh says that representatives from the lottery are sending him a sign to commemorate the sale.

Singh says the store sells 20 to 30 of the "$100 Million Dollar Spectacular" scratch-offs per day.

"That's our No. 1, top-selling ticket," Singh said. "Hopefully we sell a new winner again. It's a good start for this year."

Check out our video interview with Singh in our gallery, above right.