A very lucky man is celebrating his second big lottery win after using his favorite numbers to play the Illinois lottery.
Larry Gambles, of Matteson, Illinois, won the $1,050,000 Lucky Day Lotto jackpot when he matched all five numbers in a June 7 drawing, lottery officials said on Thursday.
It was his second win using exactly the same numbers.
"Nine years ago, I won $50,000 playing the numbers from the jerseys of my high school basketball team," Gambles said. "I've been playing the same numbers ever since. I can't believe they paid off again."
Gambles, 65, bought his winning ticket at a gas station in Country Club Hills. He went back to the gas station to verify that he had picked the winning numbers before telling his family the news.
"They couldn't believe that I won the lottery again," he said.
Gambles, a retired school administrator, has lived in Matteson for more than 20 years. He still plays basketball, lottery officials said.
He had a few words of advice for those hoping for a lottery win.
"Pick your favorite numbers and stick with them," he said. "It worked for me."
About the Author
