Joemel Panisa would have missed out on his money if another eight days had passed, but he found the lucky ticket just before the deadline during an office clean. He says he would have been doing other things had it not been for the bad weather, and is now relieved that he had to change his plans.
According to the Oregon Lottery, Panisa forgot about his ticket last January after placing it in an envelope. Upon finding it and discovering he was a winner, he knew he needed to act quickly after hearing reports in the media that a big prize was about to expire.
The store which sold the winning ticket was the US Market 104 on Highway 101 in Newport, and shop manager Octavio Tamayo is delighted the money has now been claimed. “It is surprising and very exciting,” said Tamayo, whose store will receive a $10,000 bonus.
Mega Millions prizes in Oregon are valid for one year from the date of the draw, and any unclaimed winnings are returned to the state’s Economic Development Fund. Ticket holders can check Lottery Results to see whether they are due a prize, as fans gear up for the next draw on Tuesday night.
The Mega Millions jackpot of $150 million currently stands as the largest lottery prize anywhere in the world, having not been won since a ticket holder from Georgia scooped $82 million on Friday 18th November. The game can be played online or via authorised retailers in any of the participating jurisdictions.
