Illinois Man Wins $1 Million From Birthday Gift Lottery Ticket

A birthday gift turned into a $1 million surprise for an Illinois man after a friend handed him an envelope filled with lottery tickets during his birthday celebration.

The Bradwood resident said his wife hosted a big party, where a friend gave him several tickets. One of them was for the August 8 Lotto Million 2 drawing and matched all six winning numbers: 11, 17, 22, 26, 36 and 45.

At first, he had no idea he had won big.

• He initially thought the ticket was worth just $1,000.
• A friend checked it and also missed the million-dollar prize.
• The truth came out when he and his wife visited an Illinois Lottery prize center.

“We told the staff that I won a thousand dollars,” he recalled. Then a worker told him, “Sir, you actually won a million dollars.”

The news left him and his wife stunned, with his wife even getting emotional.

Besides the jackpot, the lucky ticket also earned him an extra $2 for matching two numbers on another line.

Now, the unexpected windfall could help pay for annual trips to visit family in Florida, along with plans for a new car and possibly a golf cart.

What started as a simple birthday gift ended with a life-changing lottery win.