This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Your New Best Friend: SoCal Man Wins $51M Lotto

What would you do if you won $51 million? A truck driver from Bakersfield is about to find out. Ronnie Orender, who is near retirement, found out Tuesday that he won the $51 million Mega Million jackpot, reports the Daily news. The odds, they note, were 176 million to one.
Orender's mother, Etta Urquhart, both purchased the ticket -- using Orenders' $2 -- and watched the results of the lotto, noting that she "thought [she] was going to have a heart attack" when she saw that Orender had won.
In a refreshing turn, Orender and his parents were open about their jubilant celebrations after discovering that they were suddenly multi-millionaires, noting that Orender drank several beers and they all intend to spend the money and "enjoy life," according to Bakersfield.com.