Moses Bittok had a very good day on Friday

After being sworn in as an American citizen after waiting for 16 years, he popped in to a store to check a lottery ticket and discovered he had won.

"It's almost like you adopted a country and then they netted you $1.8 million," the 40-year-old said on Monday.

"It doesn't happen anywhere - I guess only in America," he added.

The good news came straight after he had taken his oath of US citizenship.

He said his wife, Leonora, screamed upon learning the news, but he added: "Somehow, I am calm".

Mr Bittok took his oath at the Federal Building in Des Moines, Iowa, on Friday.

Afterwards, he and his wife stopped at a petrol station to check the winning numbers in the Iowa lottery draw on 21 September, which he had entered.

Speaking at a news conference, Mr Bittock said the money would not change him and his wife, who is a nurse.

Apart from spending money on doing up their house in Iowa, Moses and his wife will help their family back home in Kenya, whom they still have not told about their good fortune.

Mr Bittok, who works at a correctional institute, says he will also put aside money to educate the couple's four-year-old daughter.