Oregon lottery officials said Monday there's no truth to reports that they're investigating whether a 17-year-old bought a $340 million Powerball lottery ticket believed to belong to a Medford family.
Representatives from the state Attorney General's Office and the Oregon Lottery Commission denied a Portland television station's report that they are looking into allegations that a minor bought the ticket reportedly held by local landscaper Steve West.
"We have no reason to believe a 17-year-old purchased a ticket," said Kevin Neely, spokesman for Attorney General Hardy Myers. "We're not going to take a look until a 17-year-old shows up to claim it."
Oregon law prohibits sales of lottery tickets to minors. If a minor were discovered to have bought a ticket, the retailer who sold it would face penalties for violating a lottery contract, said spokesman Chuck Baumann.
It would not be a criminal or civil matter and it would not invalidate the prize, Baumann said.
The rumor that a minor might have bought the winning ticket surfaced last week. Baumann said Steve West assured him that an adult bought the ticket, although West wouldn't say who it was.
If a minor actually tried to claim the prize, it would not be allowed, Baumann said. Lottery precedent would allow the child to give the ticket to a parent or guardian, who could claim it.
"But at this point, it's all conjecture," Baumann said.
Looks like someone may have been reading this board. Some people here thought West's son purchased the ticket.
Does the word dysfunctional come to mind?
JUST GIVE IT TO ME AND ALL WILL BE WELL!
for me anyway
For tax reasons I don't think they are going to cash it this year. I bought tickets when I was 17. Since you can wait a year to claim tickets he could just wait until he's 18 to claim it.
diva:
That would not work in a state like Florida in which winners have 60 days from the DRAWING to claim, or then they are forced to take annuity. I hope OR doesn't work that way.
Oh no, a 17-year old playing the lottery. He's going to be scarred for life.
C'mon seriously. It's illegal, I know. But so is jaywalking, and I don't see any one investigating that. Now if he was 7 years old, that would be different.
I just have to get something off my chest about this latest Powerball "supposed" winner and I figured a message board of this nature was as good of a place as any to do it.............maybe no one cares or even feels the same, but here goes.................
I realize it's important to take your time and get your ducks in order when you win these "largest jackpots in history" lotteries - because let's face it, I for one would be awful disappointed if someone irresponsible won it and just went through it like water never having done anything good with the money. Point in case, all that I've read about that Jack Whitaker from West Virginia a few Christmas' ago (DUI's galore, flaunting tons of money at a stripper joint, grand-daughter found dead, etc. and I know three churches supposedly got money, but I think church is where this guy needed to be more often or maybe he wouldn't be in his current binds).
However, this latest supposed winner of the Powerball jackpot is being almost annoyingly "coy" (word used by the media). I don't like some of the comments I've heard him supposedly say already - e.g. - this being his first time playing the Powerball (wish I had that kind of beginner's luck) and acting like he never ever gave winning it all a thought. Come on! You just cannot convince me that this guy has never even had a plan enter his lucky little head. And then to say because he doesn't want it to change his life at all, he's investing something like 99% of it. Well, nothing wrong with the investing part because that sounds responsible to me. However, if he doesn't want HIS life to change at all so much, how's about changing someone else's life then (for the good) with it. So far, I haven't heard anything being mentioned about being charitable to any unfortunate souls or a worthy cause, etc. AND if he doesn't want it to change his life so much, WHY DID HE PLAY IN THE FIRST PLACE!!!!!!!!?????????? This part probably gets my goat more than anything else. I know no one ever "really" is convinced they'll win, but isn't part of playing responsibly (as the Powerball Commission requests) atleast having a "pretend" plan to act upon?
And although it seems like the unthinkable, that I'd ever win, I do know first hand how "you just never know" so I DO actually have a plan! See..........my husband's uncle won a Pennsylvania lottery back in 1983 (7.5 million) and then a distant relative of my husband's won another Pennsylvania lottery not long after that too (8.8 million). Although we never saw a cent from either one of them because the families on both sides are extremely large, I atleast know good things were done with it to make others less fortunate happy.
So come on Mr. Supposed $340 Million Powerball Winner Guy..........quit trying so hard not to let it change your life and go for it...............atleast do good with it and change some one else's life. That atleast would be a positive way for you to change yours without trying so hard not to!
Nuff said..........and thanks folks for letting me get this off my chest.
The time to claim in OR is one year. The time for WA is 180 days. Other states I have no idea.
If there is a rumor he bought it, I would venture a guess that there may be some truth to it but does it matter? His parents can claim it and no one can prove his parents didn't buy the ticket. Maybe they are waiting to clain the money after they get their stories straight so no one says something different. Who knows....
I atleast know good things were done with it to make others less fortunate happy.
Where does it say in the charter of any lottery, that some one has to "do" good things with money? That appears to be a purely liberal attitude about some one elses wealth. Karl Marx is about to rise from the grave. You have money, you must share it with those who don't, or you are not a good person. Take from the wealthy, give to the poor. You'll feel better inside.
BULL - Its all propaganda!
Buy a Porterhouse steak and a hundred dollar bottle or wine; invite that luscious looking blonde to share it with you. Then you will feel better inside.
It is annoying, but so what, it's his money and his spotlight to do and say whatever he wants. If it was me or you we would do something different. As for charity, Matthew 6:1 says that announcing your good works is personal vanity and will not be rewarded in heaven, so I hope that the wealthy help people quietly. I like to think not all charity is announced at a press conference.
>You just cannot convince me that this guy has never even had a plan enter his lucky little head. And then to say because he doesn't want it to change his life at all, he's investing something like 99% of it. Well, nothing wrong with the investing part because that sounds responsible to me. However, if he doesn't want HIS life to change at all so much, how's about changing someone else's life then (for the good) with it.
i don't know whether this is true or not,but a friend at work told me that Mr. West had said on Good Morning America, that he wished he had never bought that lottery ticket, did anyone of you hear that...
i don't know whether this is true or not,but a friend at work told me that Mr. West had said on Good Morning America, that he wished he had never bought that lottery ticket, did anyone of you hear that...
Jack Whittaker's wife has made such a statement!
I can't imagine that Mr. West would already be wishing it all a dream!
i don't know whether this is true or not,but a friend at work told me that Mr. West had said on Good Morning America, that he wished he had never bought that lottery ticket, did anyone of you hear that...
We know two things.
Some one won.
No one has turned in the winning ticket.
As of this very minute, my telling you I am pregnant, has the same validity as some guy named West saying he won the money.