Grandfather won 2 jackpots. Now grandson credits lucky genes for own North Carolina win
Jose Cerro Ordonez’s mom has always told him he’s lucky.
“My grandfather won a lottery jackpot twice while living in South America,” he told North Carolina Education Lottery officials in an Aug. 8 news release. “[My mom] used to always tell me that I have my grandfather’s luck too.”
Now, the Wilmington dad is crediting that luck with his huge Cash 5 jackpot, according to lottery officials.
Ordonez said he bought his ticket using Online Play. Then, he used a random number generator on the lottery website to pick his numbers.
“I eventually stopped at some numbers that I liked because they matched some ages and birthday numbers in my family,” he told officials. “And those are the numbers I won on.”
Ordonez won the $726,439 jackpot, according to officials.
“I was like, ‘Oh my God, I won,’” he said in the release. “It’s really crazy.”
After taxes, Ordonez took home $517,588, which he will use to pay off his mortgage and help out his family, he told lottery officials. He’ll also set some money aside for his daughter.
