Engineer plays fortune cookie lottery numbers and wins the jackpot

Jul 21, 2008, 8:47 am (19 comments)

UK National Lottery

Played numbers for 4 years before they hit big 

To most of us, fortune cookies are just a charming detail at the end of a meal — and their vague prophecies and snippets of folk wisdom are not to be taken seriously.

But to Danny Williams, the numbers printed on a slip inside one cookie seemed to promise a real fortune — and his hunch came true as they won him a Lottery jackpot.

The 23-year-old engineer beat million-to-one odds to win a share of the top prize in the National Lottery.

He had used the numbers 11, 12, 22, 23, 24 and 36 which were printed on a slip from a fortune cookie which was handed to him four years ago at a Chinese restaurant in Greece as he dined with girlfriend Christina Vlahoyannis, 22.

He had never won more than £36 using the numbers, but now Williams has scooped a share of the £2,355,880 jackpot.

Williams said, "A lady from the National Lottery called me to say I'd won. At first I thought it was a prank call. It just didn't sink in.

"I didn't want to tell anyone until I knew it was definite and it was killing me having to keep quiet."

Williams, from Harold Hill, Essex, is £235,588 richer today after becoming one of 10 people who chose the right number.

"The cookie had some wise saying on it and at the bottom, six numbers.  Looking back I did think there might be something special in those numbers," Williams said.

"From that day on I played those numbers. I'd won [small prizes] here and there but I didn't change those numbers because I thought the moment I did would be the day they came up."

On June 25, his luck changed.

"We have always wanted to go travelling but couldn't afford it, now we can — it's brilliant," Williams exclaimed.

"I randomly picked my Lotto numbers before we went on holiday, but then decided to take the numbers from the fortune cookie and have stuck with them ever since."

He celebrated his win with his girlfriend and sisters with a bottle of champagne on ice but said he had his work cut out convincing them it was not a joke.

"They were absolutely ecstatic but they thought I was having a laugh at first."

He added, "Christina and I are going on holiday which we booked before I found out I'd won.

"When we come back we might have to go on a bit of a spending spree. But I'm going to be sensible. I'd like to treat myself to a motorbike, then look at buying a house."

Daily Mail, Lottery Post Staff

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BabyJC's avatarBabyJC

I'm a fan of playing lotto numbers from forturne cookies as well, but I have never played them for four years - Good thing this guy did!  I had Chinese food last week and set aside my new fortune to play the numbers (which I haven't done yet).  This was my fortune:

"God of Fortune is beckoning you." - How can I not play those numbers now?! Smile

tiggs95's avatartiggs95

Once you start playing a certain set of numbers you can't quit...Or you can and take a chance..Odds are that the numbers won't come in but if they do..OH WELL........

ThatScaryChick's avatarThatScaryChick

Congrats to him! I wonder why he choose to play that fortune cookie number set for so long? I guess it's a goo thing he did. Yes Nod

RJOh's avatarRJOh

A few years ago PowerBall had a bunch of top winners who played numbers from some fortune cookies and it concerned them enough to investigate their source.  There much be something lucky about fortune cookies.

I'm thinking about changing the name of my lottery program from "LOTO" to "Fortune Cookie" and see what happens.   

BobP's avatarBobP

I played my fortune cookie lottery numbers once, then the next week the cookie said "disregrd previous fortune cookie".

BobP

BabyJC's avatarBabyJC
TigerAngel's avatarTigerAngel

Did you hear the one about the elderly couple in New York City?  When the lotto jackpot grew to a huge amount they decided to play.  They searched their house for that fortune cookie with the numbers that they saved from years ago. .  . they found it, played it and won the jackpot!!!

True story-----------> I kid you not!

DC81's avatarDC81

There's also that time where a lot of people won, a second tier MM or PB prize from the same numbers printed on the papers in several fortune cookies.

RJOh's avatarRJOh

"Played numbers for 4 years before they hit big" 

I pick different combinations every time I play but the program I use check to make sure they have never won a Jackpot or a second tier prize in the history of the game so it's kinda like having played them for 4 years or more and not winning.  Since I added a routine to my program to figure the amount I win when I hit, it can also show me the amount I saved by not playing those combinations over the years too.

The 24 lines that I'm thinking about playing for tonight's MegaMillions drawing would have won $541 had I played them since the last matrix change 321 drawings ago but the tickets would have cost $7704 which means I saved $7163 by waiting until tonight to play them.  With those kinds of savings, I can easily afford to play those 24 lines tonight. Wink

sirbrad's avatarsirbrad

"after becoming one of 10 people who chose the right number."

 

That is exactly what happens when you play fortune cookie numbers, you will be "sharing" with many others usually. They should make sure every cookie has different numbers. Also many millions of people go winless using such numbers, and only get recognition when they finally hit, then give the "universal message" inside credit for the win; and quickly forget about the past thousands and thousands of losing numbers.

sirbrad's avatarsirbrad

Which leads to another question, do I have to go and eat overpriced Chinese to get a cookie, or can I just order a whole bag online and play the numbers? Maybe I will try both and keep palying the numbers

DC81's avatarDC81

You can just buy them in a grocery store if they have a "world foods" aisle or something.

sirbrad's avatarsirbrad

Oh yeah, think I saw them at Walmart before in that aisle. Will check again.

sirbrad's avatarsirbrad

Found some! I wonder if any cookie ever said, "You ain't ever gonna win crap you loser!"? That would suck. The Lachoy type I got doesn't seem to have any lottery numbers, only one message on the front! What a rip.

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