West Linn Man Wins $1M Powerball Prize

WEST LINN, OR — Unconvinced he'd just won $1 million when he saw his matching Powerball numbers the morning after the Jan. 13 drawing, West Linn resident James Wright decided to have a cup of coffee before looking at the ticket again.

"I got up and looked at the ticket and decided to check the numbers from my phone," Wright recently told Oregon Lottery officials. "I was bleary-eyed because it was early. I saw I missed the Powerball, but then the numbers matched up. I thought it couldn't be right. So I had some coffee and checked again."

Matching five Powerball numbers, Wright won $1 million from a ticket he bought at the 7-Eleven on Willamette Drive in West Linn. One more matching number and he'd have won $50 million. The 7-Eleven franchisee will receive $10,000 for selling the lucky ticket.

"Overall it was a very surreal experience," he said.

Wright is the third Oregonian to win big with Powerball this month, according to Lottery officials. Ronald Ceci of Grants Pass (Jan. 4) and Reggie Pearne of Jacksonville (Jan. 11) both won $1 million as well, though Ceci doubled his winnings to $2 million when he selected the Power Play option.

Lottery officials said more than $55.5 million in lottery proceeds were invested into Clackamas County enhancement and development between 2015 and 2017, adding to the $11 billion-plus spread across the state since the Oregon Lottery began in 1985.

For more information on the Oregon Lottery, visit www.oregonlottery.org.

Image via Oregon Lottery