La Chasnera Awards €356,000 in Lottery; Román Luis Borges Leads Celebration

The La Chasnera service station recently awarded 356,000 euros in the special Christmas lottery draw. This amount came from seven tickets winning the third prize and one ticket winning a fifth prize. Román Luis Borges, the director of Onda Radio Tenerife, a station owned by the González group (which also runs the lottery sales point), has a knack for making even a small win feel like the main Christmas jackpot. Interestingly, the actual jackpot didn't stop at kilometer 54 of the Southern Highway this year.

Román has been with the group almost since the beginning, joining in 2012 when the radio station officially launched. People often joke, "So, you brought the luck!" as they photograph him with his trademark smile. He recalls that in 2013, the service station gave out 200 million euros from the first prize. That was in '13, which is why he insists the number isn't unlucky at all – quite the opposite. He isn't superstitious, but life, in its quirky way, seems to prove him right.

Román Luis Borges describes himself simply: enthusiastic, kind, outgoing, fun, and friendly. He's also serious, he adds, because one doesn't cancel out the other. "Some people confuse celebrating with serious matters," he explains.

Before his radio career, Román's life took a different path. He was the commercial director for Técnicas de Gestión Comercial S.A., a world far removed from communication. But radio was always there, waiting. He started at Onda Nueva Tenerife, a station that no longer exists, with Juan Santana on a program called "Good morning por la mañana." Even then, his approachable, direct style and ability to connect with people were clear.

With a background in commercial and administrative studies, Román was born in Los Silos, in northern Tenerife. He spent four years at the old diocesan seminary in La Laguna. He is genuinely grateful for that time, valuing the discipline, rules, and education he received. "Not just knowledge," he says, "but also training for life." He speaks without false nostalgia, respectfully acknowledging that every stage leaves its mark.

His journey has been extensive: three years traveling half of Spain, working in campsites and hospitality. He also ventured into music, playing bass in the memorable group Sin Fundamento, led by Juan Santana, though he admits it's not his strongest talent. "I'm more of a public relations person," he laughs.

However, communication eventually won him over. He'd been involved in radio projects since 2001, but his career truly solidified in 2012 with Onda Tenerife. This legally licensed station opened on June 10th, during the pilgrimage of San Antonio de Padua and Santa María de la Cabeza in Granadilla de Abona. Since then, he hasn't stopped, working across radio, print newspapers, and the digital edition of Tenerife Sur Ahora.

And then there's the lottery. Román doesn't just enjoy announcing wins; he's also won himself. In 2013, he had a share of the jackpot that brought 200 million euros to La Chasnera. He shared the prize with several colleagues, receiving 100,500 euros after taxes. "It came in very handy," he admits, for him, his family, and the group.

His family also has ties to journalism: he has two children and three grandchildren, one of whom, Cristian Luis, is a journalist currently at Radio Canaria.

But if one thing truly defines Román, it's his infectious spirit. He's the life of the party. It doesn't matter if it's just a small refund; Román announces it as if it were the grand jackpot. It's not an act; it's genuine gratitude and a welcoming spirit. Román Luis turns something small into a celebration. That's his real, contagious prize – it doesn't bring money, but it certainly brings joy.