Oregon Man Wins Millions on Free Lottery Ticket
Tuesday April 7th 2020Robert McCauley won a $6,300,000 Oregon Lottery jackpot, and his luck was all the more amazing because the win was on a free ticket - that was almost left behind at the store!
McCauley, of Mount Vernon, west of John Day in Grant County, picked up the ticket when he was running errands. "I decided to go to the Post Office," he recalled. "It's only a couple of blocks away."
On his trip, he passed the Blue Mountain Mini Mart and stopped by to check his Megabucks ticket from the last draw and pick up a new ticket.
80-year-old McCauley kept to social distancing rules by heading to the Mini Mart's drive-up window. As it turned out, there was no cash prize, but he had scored a free ticket - although he nearly left without it.
"I checked Bob's ticket and actually gave him the voucher slip that came with his free ticket," manager Jolene Moulton said. "As he was walking away, I saw the free play ticket sitting on the counter and realized Bob had the wrong ticket. I called him back to the window and gave him the free ticket."
The day after the Monday, March 23 drawing, Moulton's customers were asking who the local big winner was after the lottery terminal printed a message that "the winning $6.3 million Megabucks ticket was sold in the city of Mount Vernon."
Moulton knew she'd only sold three tickets for the draw in the small community with a population of 512, and thought of McCauley.
Later that day, McCauley got a knock on his door. “It was Bill, from the city,” he said. “I answered the door and Bill says, ‘Bob. You need to check your ticket, because Jolene thinks you may have won the lottery.’”
McCauley's daughter Pam checked his ticket online and and discovered that Moulton's gut feeling was right on target - her dad had won the jackpot.
As McCauley tells it, he took the incredible news more calmly than his daughter. "Pam was screaming and jumping up and down," he said. "I was cool as a cucumber."
McCauley chose to receive his winnings as a lump sum single cash payment, which meant that after taxes he collected $2.14 million. "It could not have happened to a nicer person," Moulton said of the Mini Mart's regular customer.
So what's on the newly-minted multimillionaire's wishlist? McCauley said that his wife would like a new refrigerator, and after that he'll get a new truck for himself.
About Megabucks and the Oregon Lottery
Megabucks is a draw game exclusive to the Oregon Lottery, featuring a guaranteed $1 million minimum jackpot that keeps rolling until it's won by a ticket that matches all six numbers.
Over 240 players have become millionaires thanks for the lucrative game, which is responsible for half of Oregon's ten largest recent prizes.
Drawings on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday evenings at 7:29 pm PT offer fun all week long.
The OR Lottery has raised over $12 billion for good causes in the state since it started selling tickets in April 1985. The funding has contributed to education, economic development, veterans' programs, state parks, Outdoor School, and watershed improvements.
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