Person comes forward to claim $1.3 billion Powerball jackpot in Oregon

By CLAIRE RUSH
Associated Press

PORTLAND, Ore. — A person with a ticket matching all six Powerball numbers in Saturday’s $1.3 billion jackpot came forward Monday to claim the prize, Oregon officials said.

The lottery ticket was purchased at a Plaid Pantry convenience store in the northeast part of the city, Oregon Lottery said in a statement.

Oregon Lottery is working with the person in a process that involves security measures and vetting that will take time before a winner is announced.

“This is an unprecedented jackpot win for Oregon Lottery,” Oregon Lottery Director Mike Wells said in the statement. “We’re taking every precaution to verify the winner before awarding the prize money.”

The jackpot has a cash value of $621 million if the winner chooses to take a lump sum rather than an annuity paid over 30 years, with an immediate payout followed by 29 annual installments. The prize is subject to federal taxes and state taxes in Oregon.

The prize was the fourth largest Powerball jackpot in history and the eighth largest among U.S. jackpot games, according to the Oregon Lottery.

The largest U.S. lottery jackpot won was $2.04 billion in California in 2022.

“Plaid Pantry is thrilled to learn that one of our 104 Oregon stores sold the $1.3 billion dollar Powerball ticket,” Plaid Pantry President and CEO Jonathan Polonsky said in the statement.

Outside the store Monday evening, Mimi Musser, of Beaverton, said she buys lottery tickets almost daily and wanted to stop by the store that sold the winning lottery ticket.

“I’m just so happy that finally Oregon won the big jackpot because it’s always on the East Coast,” Musser said. “Now that Oregon won it ... there's more hope for Oregon. Maybe we'll win it again."