Sutherlin man keeps on truckin’ with $9.4 million Megabucks prize

Winning $9.4 million playing Oregon’s Game Megabucks didn’t stop truck driver Eric Tackett of Sutherlin from delivering a load of drywall on his way to claim his winnings Tuesday.

“It was on the way,” Tackett said as he claimed his winning ticket.

Tackett, who works for Smalley Trucking Company in Sutherlin, drove 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 Oregon’s Game Megabucks win. In fact, after claiming his win, he was going to pick up the trailer he left at his delivery.

Tackett and his wife Beth 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 the Western states.

“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.”

By winning the $9.4 million jackpot, Tackett became Oregon’s 256th Megabucks millionaire. Tackett 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 matched three of the numbers, good for a free Megabucks ticket

“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 percent selling bonus for selling the winning ticket, bringing in $94,000 to the store, located off I-5.

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 over $11 billion for economic development, public education, state parks and watershed enhancements. For more information on the Oregon Lottery visit http://www.oregonlottery.org/