Why Listening to Mom Paid Off Big Time for This Lotto Winner

Martin Fuentes is proof that it pays to be patient, to persevere and, of course, to listen to a mother who knew something about fortune cookies.

The retired mailman from Des Plaines, Illinois, won a $200,000 jackpot prize by repeatedly playing the lucky numbers he found inside a fortune cookie three years ago while out to dinner with his mother.

"I took my mom's advice to play the 'lucky numbers' that were in my fortune cookie one night when we were out for dinner. After playing them for three years, they hit! Words can't express how grateful I am to her," Fuentes, 73, told the Illinois Lottery of his mom, adding that she died a year ago.

Every single digit on Fuentes' fortuitous ticket matched all five winning numbers from the Nov. 19h Lucky Day Lotto evening drawing: 02-09-14-30-35.

When asked about his plans, the father of two sons and daughters told the Illinois Lottery, "I plan to take a trip to visit my children and grandchildren in Texas for the holidays. I want to celebrate with my family."

ABC News has been unable to reach Fuentes.

Fuentes purchased his Lucky Day Lotto ticket at a 7-Eleven in Des Plaines, according to a Illinois lottery statement.

The winning ticket was also shared with one other individual, who bought their ticket at a tobacco store in Oak Lawn, Illinois.

Each store will collect $2,000, or the equivalent of 1 percent of the prize amount, for selling the winning ticket, the Illinois Lottery said in a statement.