Lottery
A man in England won a million-dollar lottery by playing a set of lucky numbers

Man Wins Lotto After Using His Late Father's Lucky Numbers

The odds of winning the lottery are about one in 300 million. The odds of winning the jackpot from playing a parent's lucky numbers are .... less than that.

The odds of winning the lottery are about one in 300 million.

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The odds of winning the jackpot from playing a parent's lucky numbers are .... less than that.

Miraculously, such is the case for Sean Hayes, of Oxford, who used numbers favored by his late father to win a lottery worth £1,000,000, or roughly $1,338,460, according to a news release by the National Lottery.

Hayes, 56, had been using father James' lottery numbers from a booklet that James kept before his death in 2010, per People.

He had played the set of lucky numbers in the past, in James' honor, but lost the book for a while. This time, after rediscovering it later, Hayes cashed in.

"I only found it again recently, around Christmas time, and I decided to start playing the numbers again and that's how I won," Hayes said.

"To think that my dad chose these numbers all those years ago before he died is just unbelievable and it's a really nice connection to my dad's memory," said Hayes, who lives in England.

Hayes to Spoil Wife With Jackpot Earnings

Hayes, an avid gardener, shared a few ways he plans to spend his jackpot earnings.

Hayes plans to buy a house with his wife, Sara. Preferably, a home with a sizable garden attached, People reported.

"It would be ideal to have some green space at home," he said.

Hayes also plans to buy a new car and book more than a few vacations with his wife.

Upon contacting lottery officials to finalize his earnings, Hayes was staggered by the life-changing amount.

The newly-affluent Englander treated himself to a few adult beverages in celebration.

"I'm so grateful to my dad to have chosen these numbers," Hayes said. "The money is going to make a real difference to our lives."

Sometimes, a parent's advice keeps one out of trouble.

Other times, it can help win the jackpot lottery.