Lebanon Man Wins $30K Oregon Lottery Prize

LEBANON, OR — Instead of stressing over how to split the cost of a family reunion, Wayne Harder just decided to pay for it all himself — with help from the Oregon Lottery. Harder, a Lebanon resident, got lucky on July 27 when his Mega Millions ticket came back a $30,000 winner.

According to Oregon Lottery officials, Harder said he typically buys tickets for Oregon's three big draw games — Megabucks, Powerball, and Mega Millions — and often includes the kickers and multipliers as well. He even buys the three tickets from the same store every week, he said.

But on July 27, when he went through his usual routine of ticket checking, the irregular result surprised him.

“The first ticket was nothing," Harder told lottery officials. "I wasn’t paying attention and the second ticket said something and a bunch of numbers. I took it to the clerk and she said I won."

After realizing his good fortune, Harder reportedly picked up his wife from work and asked if she felt like going with him to Salem to pick up $30,000.

“She said yes,” he said. “She was very excited.”

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For matching four numbers plus the Megaball, Harder won a base $10,000. But because his $1 "Megaplier" option was also hit, he added another $20,000. Lottery officials said Harder was only one number match away from the $40 million jackpot. But for Harder, $30,000 is pretty good, too.

“This money came at the right time,” he said. “It will be put to good use.”

Harder had reportedly been working with family to coordinate a reunion but hadn't finalized expenses and payment details. Now, Harder said, he'll just cover the whole cost of renting a place on the Oregon Coast.

“We haven’t had the family all together in quite a while; in fact, there are two grandchildren I haven’t seen yet,” Harder said. “We were trying to figure out how to split the cost, but now I can just pay for it.”

Additionally, Harder said he'll use some of the money to cover maintenance projects at the house he and his wife just purchased. And the Fast Break Market in Albany where Harder regularly purchases his tickets will also get a $300 kicker to share in Harder's good luck.

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

Image via Oregon Lottery