Only In America!

[Madame Butterfly 0]

Updated: 10:09 AM EDT

Man Takes Citizenship Oath, Wins Lottery

'Only in America,' Owner of $1.89 Million Winning Ticket Says

 

DES MOINES, Iowa (Sept. 27) - A man who immigrated from Kenya to the United States found prosperity beyond his expectations on the day he became a U.S. citizen.

 

 

Shortly after Moses Bittok, of West Des Moines, took the oath of citizenship on Friday, he discovered he had a $1.89 million winning ticket from the Iowa Lottery's Hot Lotto game.

 

"It's almost like you adopted a country and then they netted you $1.8 million,'' Bittok said Monday as he cashed in his ticket. "It doesn't happen anywhere - I guess only in America.''

 

Bittok said he took the citizenship oath at the federal building in Des Moines Friday then went shopping with his family. They stopped at a gas station to check his lottery ticket from the Sept. 21 drawing.

 

 

"It's almost like you adopted a country and then they netted you $1.8 million."

-Moses Bittok

 

"For some reason, I'm calm,'' he said. His wife, Leonida, screamed.

 

Bittok, 40, an officer at the Iowa Correctional Institute for Women in Mitchellville, said he doesn't know exactly what he will do with his winnings, but a college fund for the couples 4-year-old daughter, Mindy, is top priority.

 

Bittok chose to receive his winnings in 25 annual payments of about $52,920 after taxes.

 

He came to the U.S. to attend college in Minnesota, then moved to Iowa to take the job at the women's prison.

 

He had purchased the winning ticket at a West Des Moines grocery store, where he once worked part time.

 

Hot Lotto tickets are sold in Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, South Dakota and West Virginia.

 

 

09/27/05 04:07 EDT

[LordOfTheBorg 1]

*falls of chair* Why can't it be "Only In Canada" and then happen to me???? :)

[KIMIMELA 1]

^ @LordOfTheBorg- :)

 

That is cool. I'm jelous.

[stvoyagerfan 1]

talk about fate and luck.

 

tm

[HRH The KING 0]

I wish I won the lottery.

 

Then I could get what I've always wanted.

 

A DeLorean that looks like the one from Back To The Future.

 

:) :) :) :P

[He Who Shall Not Be Named 2]

"It's almost like you adopted a country and then they netted you $1.8 million,'' Bittok said Monday as he cashed in his ticket.

 

"It's almost like you adopted a country and then they netted you $1.8 million."

-Moses Bittok 

 

He was so excited he said it twice. :)

[APW 0]

I was hooked on those danged scratcher tickets when I was in my early 20's.

I'd waste $50 during the week on them, win back ten or twenty by the weekend and feel as if I'd came out on top.

No more of that.

 

I only play now when the jackpot is really high.And then, only a few numbers. Never more than $5.

Edited September 28, 2005 by admiralpeewee

[Data 0]

Good for him. One of these days I am going to win "The Lucky for Life" in the PA Lottery.

[Yillara Skye 1]

I was hooked on those danged scratcher tickets when I was in my early 20's.

I'd waste $50 during the week on them, win back ten or twenty by the weekend and feel as if I'd came out on top.

No more of that.

Never went as far as spending $50 on tickets. When my sister turned 18(I was 20), we happened to be going on a music gig trip. Each of us bought $10 of tickets, and went from there (if we had won anything on the tickets, we'd each chose to save the money or redeem the tickets for more tickets. I would save a little, and redeem a couple). I do not remember how much my sister ended up with, but I think I ended up with $25 at the end of the trip.

 

 

 

Outside of that,I will only occasionally buy a ticket or two.. but that is it.