$8.8M Lotto ticket sold at Richland Safeway

RICHLAND — Someone in the Tri-Cities could be $8.8 million richer.

The winning ticket for Monday’s Washington state Lotto jackpot was sold at the Safeway store on George Washington Way in Richland.

And employees and customers were talking about it all day Tuesday.

“It’s been really magical,” said store manager Nate Payne. “All of our employees are very excited about it and we’ve been talking to all our customers about it.”

The winning ticket hadn’t been turned in yet Tuesday.

“It’s an awesome feeling knowing we sold it right here in the Tri-Cities,” Payne said. “We’re hoping it’s a customer of ours. We have people who buy Lotto tickets every single day from us. We’re hoping it’s one of those.”

When many customers heard the news Tuesday they started buying Lotto tickets hoping the store’s lucky streak will continue.

Payne said he didn’t buy a ticket for Monday’s Lotto jackpot — and doesn’t usually buy lottery tickets — but he’s considering doing it now.

“Maybe we’re a lucky spot,” he said.

The state’s newest millionaire will get $3.3 million after taxes if he or she chooses a lump sum payment, said lottery spokeswoman Jacque Coe. If annual payments are selected, the after-tax payout is $264,000 a year for 25 years.

Safeway will receive an $88,000 retail bonus for selling the winning ticket, Coe said. Payne said the money will go to Safeway’s division office, not directly to the store.

The big winner has 180 days from the date of the drawing to claim the prize and most people do that within a few days, Coe said.

The ticket holder can go to any state lottery office to turn in the winning ticket — there is an office in Yakima — but Coe said the winner should call the office to schedule an appointment because of the time it takes to verify a claim on an $8.8 million jackpot.

“If you’re the lucky ticket holder, sign the back of the ticket, keep it in a safe, dry place away from heat and call lottery headquarters in Olympia for more information,” said spokeswoman Jacque Coe.

Coe said a common mistake made by lottery winners is that they call lots of people for advice and make their last call or visit to the state lottery office.

But their first call always should be to lottery officials, she said.

“We don’t care who holds the ticket. We have no vested interest. We just want to make sure that people get accurate information,” Coe said. “You can trust the lottery. We can’t say we have a winner until the winner presents the winning ticket and walks through the door.”

However, once the ticket is verified in person the winner cannot remain anonymous, she said.

There was just one Lotto ticket sold with all six winning numbers. The winning numbers were: 5-14-19-31-35-45.

Seventeen tickets were sold with five of six winning numbers and are worth $1,000 each. Another 713 tickets had four winning numbers and are worth $30 apiece.

Lotto jackpots start at $1 million and tickets cost $1 for two chances to win.

Lotto drawings are at 8 p.m. every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.

-- Paula Horton: 509-582-1556; phorton@tricityherald.com