Man Wins KSh 433m Lottery On Birthday But Forgets To Check Tickets, Discovers 1 Month Later

• J. Refugio Gonzalez Almeida recently discovered that he had won a jackpot of KSh 433 million last month, coinciding with his birthday
• Curiously, he hadn't taken the time to verify his ticket earlier due to the fact that he lives 160 kilometres away from the point of sale for the lottery tickets
• While passing by to inquire about his tickets, Gonzalez received the astonishing news that one of his tickets had won him the millions

A Utah man named J. Refugio Gonzalez Almeida has received a belated but memorable birthday surprise; a $3million (KSh 433 million) jackpot.

Gonzalez had bought the would-be winning ticket after driving all the way to Idaho on July 4, which happens to be his birthday.

Bought tickets as "hobby"

Daily Mail reports that the 160-kilometre drive would become the difference in his life as the ticket he bought brought him the windfall.

According to the lottery enthusiast, he bought the jackpot tickets as his 'hobby' but had to drive the long distance across the state border to enter the draw since the practise is illegal in Utah.

Weeks after the long trip, Gonzalez was surprised when he received news that his ticket had made him an instant millionaire.

As much as the windfall came a month after his birthday, the lucky man considers it a belated birthday present.

Gonzalez's ticket was a Megaplier

He took a trip down memory lane to the events leading to his mega win, revealing that he had smaller winning tickets to cash in too so he reinvested the winnings to buy more tickets.

"I bought all the games, including Mega Millions. I had a lot tickets," he recalled.

During the draw held on July 4, Gonzalez's ticket matched the first five numbers but not the Megaball.

Luckily, the ticket happened to have the Megaplier feature with three as the number for that draw, which meant his $1million (KSh 144 million) win was multiplied by three.

Plans to invest the millions

As all this was happening, Gonzalez had no idea until around a month later when he returned to Malad to check all his tickets.

He was, therefore, sweetly surprised when he scanned one of the tickets and was told to take it to the Lottery Commission.

That was the point at which it dawned on him that he had bagged the the life-changing jackpot win, one whose winnings he says he plans to invest.

"I am taking this right to the bank and depositing it!' he said."

Mutiso won KSh 20m jackpot

Back home, Mutiso is KSh 20 million richer, but he still goes to his employer's yard in an overall and continues to push an earthmover as usual.

The plant operator recently won the SportPesa jackpot and has already received the cash, but that did not stop him from returning to work.

Many social media users agreed that his display of humility is to die for as others in his shoes would tender their resignation immediately and become untouchable.