Oregon Trucker Wins Lottery, Completes Delivery on Way to Picking up Winnings
“It was on the way,” Tackett said as he claimed his winning ticket, according to Oregon Lottery officials.
Tackett, who works for Smalley Trucking Company in Sutherlin, brought his truck to the lottery offices in Salem to claim the prize. He has been driving trucks for 17 years and said he is going to continue to drive after his big win. In fact, after claiming his win, he was going to pick up his trailer he left at his delivery.
“I normally play Megabucks because you get two sets of numbers for $1,” he said. “We bought the ticket at the Coburg TA Truck Stop where we normally stop. We know the lady who sold us the ticket, when she finds out she is going to freak out.”
Tackett and his wife Bethany have been together three years and she regularly rides with him while he hauls loads of steel up and down the Interstate 5 corridor and across Western states.
By winning the $9.4 million jackpot, Tackett became Oregon’s 256th Megabucks millionaire. Tacket opted to take the one-time lump sum cash payment option, and took home approximately $3 million after taxes.
The winning numbers were 4-6-15-21-38-40 for the Wednesday, Aug. 31, drawing. One set of numbers on Tackett’s $5 ticket matched all six numbers, while another set of numbers on the ticket won him a free ticket by matching three of the numbers.
“Normally I win free tickets,” Tackett said. “I thought everyone was messing with me when they told me I won $9.4 million. I had Beth check the ticket more than 50 times on different computers and phones.”
Oregon’s Game Megabucks numbers are drawn every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
The TA Truck Stop in Coburg will receive a 1% selling bonus for selling the winning ticket, bringing in $94,000 to the store located off Interstate 5.
