Arts & Entertainment
Retired Lottery Employee Wins $30K Playing Mega Millions
Mike Davis spent 21 years training retailers on how to operate the Oregon Lottery's games before his retirement on March 1.
SALEM, OR — Barely three months after retiring from the Oregon Lottery, former retailer trainer Mike Davis got a surprise bonus when he won $30,000 at one of the lottery retailers he helped to train.
Playing Mega Millions at Geppetto's Italian restaurant on Lancaster Drive NE, Davis matched four numbers and the Megaball for a $10,000 prize. Davis also dded a $1 "Megaplier" that ultimately netted him an additional $20,000.
According to Oregon Lottery officials, Davis was just one number shy of the big $60 million jackpot.
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Regardless, before he retired on March 1, Davis couldn't even play Oregon Lottery games because it's prohibited for employees.
“I retired March 1, and since I couldn’t play as a Lottery employee I pick up a month’s worth of the big jackpot tickets and I always get them from Geppetto’s,” Davis told lottery officials. “I always gave advice to people when I told them you can’t win if you don’t buy a ticket.”
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For 21 years Davis reportedly trained more than 3,800 Oregon Lottery retailers on how to operate the lottery's games, and his $30,000 win is apparently the biggest ever for a former Oregon Lottery employee.
“I trained the folks at Geppetto’s years ago and really liked them,” he said. “So after retirement I buy my tickets there so they would get the retailer bonus if I win.”
Taking a 1 percent slice for its role in Davis' success, Geppetto's will receive $300 from the Oregon Lottery.
With his winnings, however, Davis is making plans for his retirement.
Four vacations this year are now taken care of, Davis told lottery officials. And though he wanted a motorcycle, Davis' wife is less on-board with that expenditure.
“My wife says she wanted me retired and alive and wants to keep me that way, so I probably won’t get the Harley,” Davis said. “It definitely gives us a cushion for the things we are doing in retirement. It was unexpected and nice.”
For more information about the Oregon Lottery and its various games, visit OregonLottery.org.
Image via Oregon Lottery
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