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Pennsylvania Man Won $1 Million Lottery Prize Using Numbers He Got From a Fortune Cookie

Published: Sep 30, 2018 2 min read
Mega Millions Jackpot Reaches Record High Of $640 Million
Mega Millions lottery tickets sit on a registar at Liquorland on March 30, 2012 in Covina, California The Mega Millions jackpot has reached a high of $640 million before the drawing.
Kevork Djansezian - Getty Images

Every now and then a fortune cookie really does bring good luck.

That was the case for Ronnie Martin, who won $1 million in the New Jersey Lottery by playing numbers he received inside a fortune cookie years ago. While most people use numbers that hold personal significance like family members' birthdays, Martin liked his fortune cookie numbers and decided to keep using them.

Martin, who drives to from his home in Long Pond, Pa. to New Jersey for work everyday, was a regular lottery player at the New Jersey gas station, according to a release from the New Jersey Lottery. His $1 million prize was part of this summer's $543 Mega Millions jackpot drawn on July 24. Martin brought his winning ticket — one of three he purchased that day— to the counter, thinking there was something wrong after he tried to scan it and received a message that said "See Clerk."

But the cashier knew it was a winning ticket, according to the release, and scanned it in front of Martin so he could see the $1,000,000 message on the screen for himself. Martin purchased the $1 million ticket at a U.S. Gas on 423 Blairstown Road, Hope, N.J.

Martin said he and his wife will use the money to pay off their current bills and mortgage on their house before putting the rest in savings.