What could be better than winning a million dollars for your birthday?

By Kate Northrop

SIMSBURY, Conn. — There was no better birthday surprise a Connecticut man could have ever given himself than the $1 million Powerball prize he won in the lottery.

A Powerball lottery drawing gifted one Connecticut man the birthday present of a lifetime when he was awarded a $1 million prize.

The day of the August 30 Powerball drawing, the anonymous lottery player noticed the looming Powerball had ballooned past the billion-dollar mark and grown to a whopping $1.03 billion.

He was at Pride Convenience Mart on Hopmeadow Street in Simsbury when he decided he just had to participate in the draw, so he purchased a Quick Pick.

The winner, who recently turned 60, said he discovered he matched five white ball numbers the night before his birthday to win the $1 million prize — 3, 18, 22, 27, and 33 — but not the Powerball number 17.

"It was hard to keep a straight face when I scanned the ticket at the store," the winner told the Connecticut Lottery. "It was pure luck."

While he's not sure how he'll put his winnings to use, the confident Connecticut resident noted that he considers himself a regular lottery player and will keep on playing.

"Winning is a myth to those who don't play," he added.

The next Powerball annuity jackpot estimate for the drawing on Saturday, Nov. 1 currently stands at $400 million.

Powerball is currently offered for sale in 45 states, plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Drawings are Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays at 10:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Tickets cost $2 each.

Powerball lottery results are published within minutes of the drawing at USA Mega (www.usamega.com). The USA Mega website provides lottery players in-depth information about the United States' two biggest multi-state lottery games, Mega Millions and Powerball.