Oregon Powerball Winner Narrowly Misses 2.4B Jackpot

A whim turned into a win for an Oregon Powerball winner. Retiree Brooks Keebey, 82, matched the first five numbers, winning the $1 million Powerball jackpot — and he doesn’t mind that it wasn’t the billions it might have been.

In early November, hopeful lottery players bought Powerball tickets for the record $2.4 billion drawing on Nov. 7. Asked if he felt disappointed at not winning the mind-blowing jackpot, Keebey said, “I’m not greedy.”

Winning Powerball ticket bought in Salem

Acting on a drawing-day impulse, Keebey had purchased $10 worth of Powerball tickets at the TNT Hollywood Tavern in Salem, where he and his wife reside.

The delayed drawing on the night of Nov. 7 just increased the suspense for people holding tickets. After the drawing took place the morning of Nov. 8, Keebey scanned his tickets at a different local store. The terminal instructed him to see customer service. He’d matched the first five numbers, failing to match the Powerball.

After state and federal taxes of 8% and 24%, respectively, were taken out, he took home about $680,000, according to the Oregon Lottery. His plans for the prize money seem as modest as his words about his win: a used Cadillac for his wife, paying property taxes and retirement.

Oregon had another $1 million Powerball winner from the drawing.

Advice from the Oregon Lottery

The state lottery has some advice for its players to protect any jackpot wins:

• Sign the back of your ticket.
• Consult with a trusted financial planner or another professional.

And, of course, you can’t win if you don’t check your ticket. And, in Oregon, you must claim a prize before a year passes.

According to the website, the Oregon Lottery started selling tickets on April 25, 1985. Since then, it has earned almost $15 billion. About a third of its sales revenue goes to beneficiaries, including:

• Economic development
• Public education
• State parks
• Veterans’ services
• Watershed enhancements

The largest Powerball prize ever won in Oregon to date was $340 million in 2005.