Meet the Long Islander who won $100K playing Candy Crush on the LIRR — now he’s gunning for $1M

Taylor Knight
·5 min read
Jay candy crush champ
Jay candy crush champ

New Yorkers suffer some of the longest commutes in the US, but Long Islander Jay Simunovich wishes his ride to work was longer.

“My commute was about 45 minutes, so as soon as I boarded the Hempstead Line from Floral Park to Penn Station, I was locked into the Candy Kingdom,” he told The Post.

By day, Simunovich, 52, works in fiber optics, but before and after his shift ends, he trains as the reigning Candy Crush champion of the world after achieving sweet victory in the 2023 Candy Crush All-Stars tournament. And he’s planning to do it again this year.

Since 2012, Simunovich has relied on his daily commute via the Long Island Rail Road to play his favorite game, Candy Crush Saga — a ritual that helped him score $100,000 last year. The Candy Crush Saga is a tile-matching game with a confectionary motif where players are awarded “sugar bonuses and tasty candy combos,” per the app’s description.

Long Islander Jay Simunovich works in fiber optics, but he’s also the reigning Candy Crush champion of the world. Stefano Giovannini for N.Y.Post
Long Islander Jay Simunovich works in fiber optics, but he’s also the reigning Candy Crush champion of the world. Stefano Giovannini for N.Y.Post
Simunovich achieved sweet victory in the 2023 Candy Crush All-Stars tournament. Stefano Giovannini for N.Y.Post
Simunovich achieved sweet victory in the 2023 Candy Crush All-Stars tournament. Stefano Giovannini for N.Y.Post
He won $100,000 last year in the competition. Amy Lombard
He won $100,000 last year in the competition. Amy Lombard

This year’s global online contest, open to adults who reach Level 25 and above, began on March 28 and concludes April 28. The best player will take home the biggest prize to date, $1 million.

“The LIRR became a lot sweeter when I began to play Candy Crush Saga. From there, beating levels became a staple in my day,” he said.

As a self-proclaimed “Candy Crush veteran,” Simunovich chooses his seat on the train wisely to ensure he has minimal distractions: He sits at the “jump seat by the train doors” on the LIRR because “it’s a bit more secluded and quiet, which are key to getting in the zone.”

Since 2012, Simunovich has relied on his daily commute via the Long Island Rail Road to play his favorite game, Candy Crush Saga. Stefano Giovannini for N.Y.Post
Since 2012, Simunovich has relied on his daily commute via the Long Island Rail Road to play his favorite game, Candy Crush Saga. Stefano Giovannini for N.Y.Post
Simunovich chooses his seat on the train to ensure he has minimal distractions: He sits at the “jump seat by the train doors” on the LIRR because “it’s a bit more secluded and quiet, which are key to getting in the zone.” Stefano Giovannini for N.Y.Post
Simunovich chooses his seat on the train to ensure he has minimal distractions: He sits at the “jump seat by the train doors” on the LIRR because “it’s a bit more secluded and quiet, which are key to getting in the zone.” Stefano Giovannini for N.Y.Post

Sometimes, the father of four gets lost in the Candy Kingdom. “There have been a few instances where I was on a roll, looked up, and realized I had missed my stop,” he chuckled.

There was a time when Simunovich thought his obsession with Candy Crush had gone off the rails, and he decided to quit “cold turkey” for three years after reaching a staggering level of 5,000 out of 16,000.

Fortunately, he gave in to his digital sweet tooth just in time to learn about the 2023 Candy Crush All-Stars. The decision to enter the competition “felt like a no-brainer,” he told The Post.

The Candy Crush Saga is a tile-matching game with a confectionary motif where players are awarded “sugar bonuses and tasty candy combos,” per the app’s description. Stefano Giovannini for N.Y.Post
The Candy Crush Saga is a tile-matching game with a confectionary motif where players are awarded “sugar bonuses and tasty candy combos,” per the app’s description. Stefano Giovannini for N.Y.Post
“There have been a few instances where I was on a roll, looked up, and realized I had missed my stop,” he chuckled. Stefano Giovannini for N.Y.Post
“There have been a few instances where I was on a roll, looked up, and realized I had missed my stop,” he chuckled. Stefano Giovannini for N.Y.Post

Simunovich joined the mobile gaming tournament to find 20 million other competitors from around the world, including the UK, US, Brazil, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Norway, Denmark, Austria, Ireland, Finland, Poland, Romania, Czechia, Greece and Portugal.

The gamer battled it out online for a month before making it to the Final 10. “I couldn’t really believe it was happening to me, until I stood on the stage in London and played Candy Crush to a live audience!” he added.

His decade’s worth of experience in Candy Crush helped him rise to the top, ahead of second and third-place finishers from Eugene, Oregon, and Madrid, Spain, respectively. Simunovich scored $100,000 while the other two opponents won $50,000 each. Simunovich was also awarded a limited-edition championship ring — a rainbow of semiprecious gemstones cast in gold — designed by Icebox and worth $75,000.

Simunovich is now back to crushing candy in anticipation of the 2024 showdown and taking home the whopping million-dollar prize. Amy Lombard
Simunovich is now back to crushing candy in anticipation of the 2024 showdown and taking home the whopping million-dollar prize. Amy Lombard
With his winnings, he bought a festival ticket and a kitchen renovation. Stefano Giovannini for N.Y.Post
With his winnings, he bought a festival ticket and a kitchen renovation. Stefano Giovannini for N.Y.Post

Simunovich wasn’t precious with his share of the winning pot.

“I bought a ticket for Power Trip. It’s a three-day festival in California. AC/DC, Guns’ N’ Roses, Iron Maiden, Ozzy Osbourne, Metallica and Tool,” he gushed. “Bought the plane ticket, played Candy Crush on the way there and then rented a Chevy Suburban to camp out in. It was super fun! My wife also got a kitchen renovation out of it, so win, win!”

His vacation was brief, as Simunovich is now back to crushing candy in anticipation of the 2024 showdown and taking home the whopping million-dollar prize.

“If I win this year, I am sending my kids to college,” he said. Stefano Giovannini for N.Y.Post
“If I win this year, I am sending my kids to college,” he said. Stefano Giovannini for N.Y.Post
“I couldn’t really believe it was happening to me, until I stood on the stage in London and played Candy Crush to a live audience!” he added.
“I couldn’t really believe it was happening to me, until I stood on the stage in London and played Candy Crush to a live audience!” he added.
“He truly is the best father ever,” Simunovich’s daughter Sami, 19, said. “It’s just a bonus that he’s the Candy Crush World Champion, too.” Stefano Giovannini for N.Y.Post
“He truly is the best father ever,” Simunovich’s daughter Sami, 19, said. “It’s just a bonus that he’s the Candy Crush World Champion, too.” Stefano Giovannini for N.Y.Post

“If I win this year, I am sending my kids to college,” he promised. “I hope they can tell the story to their friends, that their dad is so good at Candy Crush, he gets to send them to college!”

Simunovich’s daughter Sami,19, has been her dad’s “biggest fan” during his Candy Crush competition.

“I was actually on FaceTime when they announced the winners [in 2023], so I got to watch it live. I was jumping up and down like crazy when they announced his name,” Sami told The Post. “I couldn’t be more proud of him.”

“He truly is the best father ever,” she added. “It’s just a bonus that he’s the Candy Crush World Champion, too.”