A lottery ticket from a friend turned out to be a birthday gift worth more than RM4 million! In this overseas story from 4D Today, an American man received a ticket for his birthday and thought he had won US$1,000. It was only when he visited a prize centre that he discovered his actual prize was US$1 million — 1,000 times what he had expected.
According to Sin Chew Daily, the man from Braidwood, Illinois, won US$1 million with the gifted ticket, equivalent to approximately RM4.05 million based on the report’s conversion. He chose to remain anonymous, but the unexpected birthday surprise has given his family a memory they will never forget.
A Birthday Envelope With a Million-Dollar Surprise
According to the Illinois Lottery’s official announcement, the man’s wife organised a birthday party for him. During the celebration, a friend handed him an envelope containing lottery tickets. He had no idea just how valuable that gift would become.
The winning ticket was purchased at Gas N Wash in New Lenox. It matched all six numbers — 11, 17, 22, 26, 36 and 45 — in the Lotto Million 2 draw on August 8, 2026, winning US$1 million. Another line on the same ticket also won a US$2 prize.
This was an American Lotto game, rather than the traditional four-digit game familiar to Malaysian players. It is broadly similar to the six-number format used by Supreme Toto, Power Toto and Star Toto, although the individual game rules differ.
He Thought He Had Won US$1,000 — Until He Claimed the Prize
The biggest twist was that the man initially failed to spot his jackpot win. He asked a friend to check the ticket, but the friend also missed it and told him he had won only US$1,000. For the birthday celebrant, that was already a wonderful surprise.
When he and his wife arrived at the prize centre, however, staff told them the ticket was actually worth US$1 million. He was stunned, while his wife began to cry with joy. They had arrived expecting a modest birthday bonus, only to discover that they had missed three zeros. Related report: Rockford News First
A Family Cruise to Celebrate 40 Years of Marriage
With the win confirmed, the couple plans to share their good fortune with the family. Alongside their usual winter trip to visit relatives in Florida, the man hopes to buy a new car and a golf cart. He also plans to pay for a family cruise to celebrate the couple’s 40th wedding anniversary and their children’s birthdays.
What began as a thoughtful gift from a friend has now become a chance to create more family memories. The most memorable part is not just the size of the prize, but the fact that he only discovered how special his birthday gift was when he went to claim it. Related report: NDTV
For more lottery winner stories and Malaysian draw updates, visit 4D Today. Details of overseas games, winning numbers and prizes should be checked against announcements from the relevant lottery operator.