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Salem man claims $150 million Powerball ticket

The couple decided to take the lump sum, worth $61 million after taxes.

After almost three weeks, the winner of the $150.4 million Powerball jackpot has finally stepped forward to claim their prize.

Oregon Lottery officials revealed Friday morning Steven Nickell of Salem is the owner of the lucky ticket purchased at the Circle K on Liberty Road South in Salem.

Nickell told Lottery officials he had no idea he had won the Powerball jackpot when he turned in his ticket.

“When the clerk told me that wins over $600 have to go to the Lottery office, I thought I could buy my wife something nice for the Fourth of July,” he said. “I had no idea that ticket was worth $150 million."

The winning numbers for the June 20 draw were 04-14-23-27-56 and Powerball 13.

Nickell told his wife and the couple hired a financial planner and lawyer. The couple decided to take the lump sum, worth $61 million after taxes.

Nickell is the fifth winner of the Powerball jackpot in Oregon.

The state had its first win in October 1992 with the Givens family of Eugene, who took home $38.4 million. Robin Powell, of Beaverton, claimed a $33.9 million prize in July 1999. The West and Chaney families, both of Medford, won $340 million in October 2005.

Milwaukie resident Dan Gannon was the state's last winner before Nickell. He won $182.7 million in 2006.

The Powerball game is played in 44 states, plus the District of Columbia, U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

Contact reporter Olivia Heersink at oheersink@statesmanjournal.com, 503-399-6657 or follow her on Twitter @heersinkolivia.

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