Who Else Wins From Mega Millions Jackpot?

Mega Millions Mania hits Central Oregon, and with every ticket that’s sold, retailers are cashing in.

“It’s been crazy, and so far this morning, 85 percent of our sales have been lottery,” Jassey Uppal, owner of the Butler Market Store, said Friday.

Based on how many tickets they sell, retailers get a percentage between 5 and 10 percent. With tickets flying out the door, it seems 10 cents on the dollar would be big business, but…

“It’s not actually, it’s just basically a service — and yes if we win, that is a huge deal for us,” said Uppal.

Like each customer buying a ticket, the big payoff for a retailer comes with selling the winner.

“A retailer who sells the winning Mega Millions ticket will get a check from the lottery for $100,000,” said Chuck Baumann, interim public affairs director for the Oregon Lottery.

Fifty cents of every ticket sold goes to the jackpot, the rest goes to the state. On Thursday, $1.7 million worth of lottery tickets were purchased in Oregon. Friday’s take was expected to be even higher.

“I’m sincerely hoping that as much money as possible hits the schools,” said Beverly Morales of Bend.

Of the total, 59 percent of Oregon Lottery funds go to public education, 25 percent to economic development and 15 percent to state parks and natural resources. That meant $7.8 million for Bend La Pine Schools in the last two-year budget cycle and $4.2 million for Redmond.

Like everyone else, Oregon cashes in if we have a winner.

“The state’s going to get a good portion of that as well. So we have 8 percent state withholding taxes on the prize,” said Baumann.

That’s an estimated $37 million for Oregon, if the winner takes the lump sum, leaving everyone — the state, retailer and customers — hoping for a winning ticket.