Fortune cookie gives North Carolina man lottery numbers to win $4 million

CNNWire
Monday, January 31, 2022
What to know about the mega millions lottery
What to know about the mega millions lotteryHere's what you should know if you're thinking of playing the Mega Millions.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Why do you think they're called fortune cookies?

After his weekly meal at a Chinese restaurant, a North Carolina man used the numbers in his fortune cookie to play the lottery.

And now he is $4 million richer.

"I don't usually play my fortune cookie numbers but I tried them on a whim," said Gabriel Fierro, 60, of Cornelius, a disabled combat veteran who served 32 years in the Army, in a release from the North Carolina Education Lottery.

Fierro and his wife had their weekly meal at Charlotte's Red Bowl restaurant. He then used the numbers to buy a Mega Millions ticket online and added $1 to make it a Megaplier ticket. So when he matched all five white balls on January 18 to win $1 million, it was quadrupled.

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His $4 million prize became the largest win in the history of Online Play in North Carolina, the lottery said.

"I got an email in the morning and I just stared at it dumbfounded," Fierro said. "I took it and showed it to my wife and she thought it was an April Fool's joke or maybe a scam."

Fierro received $2,840,401 after federal and state taxes.

This isn't the first time the cookies have turned into fortunes for lottery players.

In 2019, a Maryland man won $100,000 after his fortune cookie said it was his lucky day.

In 2014, a New York woman won a $2 million prize using numbers from her fortune cookie.

And in 2005, 110 people from around the country each won about $100,000 playing Powerball numbers from fortune cookies. Lottery officials found out the cookies all came from one location that makes 4 million of them a day.

So ... where are you eating tonight?

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