Prineville man state’s fourth $1 million Mega Millions winner

With a $1 Mega Millions ticket, a Prineville man has become the fourth Oregonian to win $1 million playing the multi-state game, lottery officials announced Friday.

Charles Beatty of Prineville said he purchased the ticket because the Mega Millions jackpot continues to grow and he thought he would try his luck.

When Beatty bought his ticket for the May 24 drawing, the jackpot was at $203 million. With no jackpot winner as of Thursday morning, the Mega Millions jackpot has grown to $251 million.

To win $1 million, players need to match five numbers but miss the Mega Ball(R). Beatty’s prize, after taxes, was more than $670,000.

Jackpots for Mega Millions start at $15 million and grow by a minimum of $5 million per draw each time the jackpot rolls. Mega Millions is drawn every Tuesday and Friday .

Mega Millions players have the option of adding another dollar to purchase the Megaplier, option which can multiply their non-jackpot prize up to five times. For the May 24 drawing, the Megaplier drawn was 4, and for those who added the option, would have multiplied their prize times 4.

Beatty’s ticket, which he purchased at The Towne Pump & Pantry along Madras Highway in Prineville, was one of two outstanding Mega Millions $1 million winners in Oregon.

Oregon Lottery officials are also waiting for a $1 million prize to be claimed from a ticket that was purchased the morning of Jan. 13 in Newport. The winning numbers are 29-41-53-54-70 .

The odds of winning $1 million playing Mega Millions is one in 18,492,204. The player has until Jan. 15, 2017 to claim the prize.

While Oregon Lottery officials are still waiting for the state’s first Mega Millions jackpot winner, Oregon Mega Millions players have won more than $8.8 million in prizes more than $10,000 since Mega Millions was offered in Oregon in 2011.

Lottery officials recommend that you always sign the back of your tickets with each Oregon Lottery game you play, to ensure you can claim any prize you may win.

The Oregon Lottery reminds players to always sign the back of their Lottery tickets, regardless of the game. In the event of winning a jackpot, they should consult with a trusted financial planner or similar professional to develop a plan for their winnings. Prize winners of more than $50,000 should contact the Lottery office to schedule an appointment to claim their prize.

Since the Oregon Lottery began selling tickets on April 25 , 1985, it has earned nearly $10 billion for economic development, public education, state parks and watershed enhancements. For more information on the Oregon Lottery, visit http://www.oregonlottery.org.