Aww thank you @nkemakonam89. Yes it is an interesting superstition. I think poop on the head is a rare occurrence - on the clothes could be more common. However you are correct - I think his faith might be the deciding factor and also his nonchalance regarding buying the ticket and forgetting about it. Somehow he seemed so intentional - that he thought he would win and he did. We are all still truly surprised.
The odds are not so good for lotteries in general - so him winning the first time buying a ticket is quite amazing.