Newport Beach residents Janice James Walker, Ron Neustein win Super Bowl tickets

Wayne Smith, the president of Corona del Mar Properties, congratulates Janice James Walker, left, and Ron Neustein after winning a city-wide contest to win Super Bowl tickets.

Feb. 6, 2016 8:21 PM PT

Seattle Seahawks fans and running back Marshawn Lynch remain upset after what took place in the final moments of last year’s Super Bowl against the New England Patriots. But Newport Beach residents Janice James Walker and Ron Neustein are thrilled.

They had entered a contest to win two tickets to Super Bowl 50 and guessed that the AFC would beat the NFC, 28-24. When Patriots defensive back Malcolm Butler intercepted Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson’s pass at New England’s one-yard line, it helped secure the Patriots’ win. More importantly for James Walker and Neustein, it meant they guessed the correct score to win tickets to Sunday’s big game between the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers at Levi Stadium in Santa Clara.

“I was sweating bullets,” James Walker said of last year’s Super Bowl.

The local Super Bowl ticket winners confirmed their tickets and other pertinent information on Tuesday when they went to Corona del Mar Properties and met with Wayne Smith, the president of the company.

Smith was the one who put the contest together with the hopes of improving his real estate business.

James Walker and Neustein won two tickets each. They’ll be going to their first Super Bowl.

“I’m very happy that you’re grateful,” Smith told the winners at his office on Tuesday. “It’s something great you can do with your family and you will cherish it for the rest of your life.”

James Walker said she will take her daughter Jennifer to the Super Bowl. James Walker’s daughter actually picked the correct final score. She wanted to wait until she knew who was playing so they turned in their entry guess just before the contest deadline.

James Walker, who is a Broncos fan, says she is excited about watching Peyton Manning play in the Super Bowl.

Neustein will take his son Micah. Neustein had known Smith, who encouraged his friend to enter the contest. Neustein, a Steelers fan, said he randomly selected the final score.

“This is my first Super Bowl,” Neustein said. “It’s going to be special. It’s a bucket-list thing. I never thought I would get to go to a Super Bowl.”