How a Man In Iraq Won the Lottery in Oregon



In 2015, the Oregon Lottery reported that for the first time in its history a person living overseas won the Megabucks lottery. The Iraqi, whose name was not released, purchased the lottery ticket through the website theLotter.com, a company that sends people to buy lottery tickets for customers and charges a fee. The ticket was purchased in Bend, Ore., on August 24, 2015, and the ticketholder claimed the prize in person on Dec. 1, 2015. Lottery officials consulted with legal experts, who told them the online sale was completely legal. The Iraqi, who won $6.4 million, opted to take the jackpot over 20 years, rather than taking the lump-sum payment that would have cut his winnings in half. The first payment of $256,000 was made two weeks after the claim was made.