$8.5M Jackpot Win Adds To Retailer's Oregon Lottery Legacy

KING CITY, OR — King City Liquor Store's reputation for selling winning Oregon Lottery tickets was bolstered this past week when Tigard resident Tina McClendon scored an $8.5 million win with Oregon's Game Megabucks. McClendon's prize marks the second jackpot-winning ticket sold at the liquor store, and the second big Lottery win in the past two months.

According to Oregon Lottery officials in Salem, McClendon's win came on a $1 Quick Pick ticket she bought while picking up spirits at the store.

"I thought I would get a number or two," McClendon said confidently. "Getting all the numbers is kinda cool!"

McClendon apparently had good reason to think she'd win, as lottery officials describe the store as one of the most successful lottery retailers in the state.

Along with a $50,000 Powerball win sold at the store about two months ago, "We had a $23 million Oregon’s Game Megabucks winner back in the 1990s," store owner Sheri Daniels told lottery officials. "It's very exciting to sell another winning ticket, my dad would have been proud."

Daniels' father, Leo Stratton, reportedly revolutionized the way Oregon Lottery sells its games by inventing clever game packages he could market to his customers. One example is what Stratton originally called the "King City Special Maximum," which the Oregon Lottery later adopted and reportedly renamed the Jackpot Trio package, allowing players to buy $1 Oregon’s Game Megabucks, $2 Powerball and $2 Mega Millions tickets for $5.

"We had a lot of fun here with my dad," Daniels said. "(He) was always coming up with interesting ways to make the games even more fun.

"I have worked here for over 40 years, and it's great to see us sell another winning ticket," she added. "You never know when you are going to sell a jackpot."

McClendon, however, opted for the bulk sum — meaning she didn't actually get the entire $8.5 million jackpot. Instead, lottery officials said, McClendon took home $2.89 million, which is half the total prize minus taxes.

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For its part, King City Liquor Store received a 1 percent selling bonus — $85,000 — for facilitating McClendon's lottery purchase.

"We are going to take the bonus and put it back into the business; we are also going to be giving our employees a holiday surprise," Daniels said, noting she's happy to share the win with someone who shops at the store frequently. "The lady who won is a regular customer and I love the fact that a regular won. That means a lot to us."

For more information on the Oregon Lottery or its games and prizes, visit OregonLottery.org.

And if you'd like to try your luck at the liquor store, you can find it using the map below:

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