Environmental Workers Win Video Lottery Prizes

BEAVERTON, OR — Two Portland men who spent last week replacing a 1,000-gallon septic system were well-rewarded for their dirty, hard work when they both — on separate days — won big video lottery prizes.

Zak Sowards and Spencer Hardman, employees of Alpha Environmental, a residential and commercial environmental consulting and remediation company, proved luck can come to anyone at any time.

After working in the cold rain, and "standing in the muck all week," the pair decided to cut loose and have a good time Friday night, according to Hardman.

Out and about in Beaverton, the men dropped by a Dotty's and played the Wild Witch video lottery game. Sowards was the first to win out.

"When I won $1,912 I thought the weekend was turning around," he later told Oregon Lottery officials. "We were having a lot of fun and it was even better when we won."

Not to be outdone, Hardman returned to Dotty's Saturday after seeing a movie with his fiancé.

"I put in $25 and within three spins I'd won $5,100!" he said. "I didn't mean to show Zach up, but I guess with our week at work we deserved to have some good luck."

The next day, Hardman called Sowards to brag.

"I kept telling him to stop pulling my leg," Sowards said. "I couldn't believe it."

"Overall it was a great end to the week," Hardman added, noting he could now pay for the wedding ring he'd just bought for his fiancé without stress.

Sowards told lottery officials he still wasn't sure what he would do with his winnings.

For more information on Oregon Lottery games, prizes, and beneficiaries, visit oregonlottery.org.

Top Photo: Zak Sowards (L) and Spencer Hardman after claiming their lottery prizes in Wilsonville.

Image via Oregon Lottery