RALEIGH — José Naranjo, a Charlotte resident and chef, won a $171,315 Cash 5 jackpot during the Feb. 11 drawing, officials at the N.C. Education Lottery announced on Friday.
He plans to use the winnings to fulfill a longtime dream of starting a food truck to take to festivals.
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Naranjo purchased his winning $1 ticket from the QuikTrip on South Central Avenue in Locust, Stanly County. After mandatory federal and state tax withholdings, he took home $123,364 when he claimed his prize Wednesday at lottery headquarters in Raleigh.
Naranjo selected his winning numbers using a specific system that balanced calendar-based figures with personal milestones.
He explained his method while claiming his prize at lottery headquarters.
“I chose my numbers based on the number of days in a week, the number of weeks in February and a two for the month of February,” Naranjo said. “And the other numbers were birthdays.”
The win came against odds of 1 in 962,598.
Naranjo discovered he had matched all five balls while checking the results late at night, a moment he described as being difficult to process.
“I thought it was a dream,” Naranjo recalled. “I was speechless. I couldn’t believe it was reality.”
Naranjo has years of experience as a chef and plans to use his culinary background to transition into a mobile business.
He intends to take his new venture to various events across the region.
“I’m going to start a food truck,” Naranjo said. “I can take it to festivals.”
Cash five is one of six lottery games in North Carolina that allows for both retail and digital participation. Players can purchase tickets at physical stores, through the lottery website or via the NC Lottery Official Mobile App.
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