Laundry day was quite the whirlwind of ups and downs for a Portland man who accidentally washed his wallet, with an Oregon’s Game Megabucks ticket worth $8.4 million inside.

“I washed my wallet and then realized I had Lottery tickets in there,” said Scott Moe, who won the prize. “A couple of the tickets were destroyed, but not the jackpot ticket.”

Moe was piecing together his laundered lottery tickets right before bed, and after realizing around midnight he'd bagged the big one, he thanked his lucky stars that the  winning ticket worth $8.4 million was the last one he'd bought and it was protected by other tickets in his wallet.

Oregon Lottery
Oregon Lottery
loading...

“I didn’t sleep until later the next day,” he said. “My mind was racing!”

Moe brought the ticket to the Oregon Lottery Friday, Jan. 10 to verify it was the winning ticket. Then he took advantage of leaving the ticket at the Lottery, while he determined the best way to claim his prize. Players can leave their validated tickets at the Oregon Lottery office for up to 60 days, while they decide how to take their prize, either in a one-time lump sum or 30 annual payments. When Moe came back Monday, he said he contacted a financial advisor and was working on a plan.

Moe took the bulk-sum option, which splits the prize in half to $4.2 million, and after taxes, Moe took home $2.85 million.

Officials with Buy2, the company that sold the winning ticket, said this was the first time one of their stores had sold a jackpot ticket, and Buy2 prize cut will be a 1-percent selling bonus of $84,000.

Enter your number to get our free mobile app

Since 1985, Oregon Lottery players have won more than $38 billion in prizes.

The Oregon Lottery reminds players to always sign the back of their Lottery tickets, regardless of the game. In the event of winning a jackpot, they should consult with a trusted financial planner or similar professional to develop a plan for their winnings. Prize winners of more than $50,000 are advised to contact the Lottery office and schedule an appointment to claim their prize.

More From 98.3 KEYW