Friends Split Lottery Win 50-50

WOODBURN, OR — Two friends who saw a 300 percent return on their individual Keno gamble during a recent Oregon Lottery game are now planning out their retirements, according to lottery officials.

Gervais resident Kathy Harvey and her friend from Woodburn, Carol Richards, both chipped in $10 for a game of Keno 8-Spot while hanging out at the Eagles Club in Woodburn.

"We put our $20 on the Keno 8-Spot and then started talking and didn’t pay attention," Richards told Oregon Lottery officials. "The next thing we know, people are pointing out that someone hit the 8-spot."

Excitedly scanning their ticket immediately following the winning draw, the pair weren't sure how much they'd actually won from the game, officials said.

"We decided to find out when we went to the Lottery office," Harvey explained, adding, "It was a nice surprise."

Learning they'd raked in a collective $33,676 from their $20 game, Richards and Harvey reportedly chose to split the win 50-50.

While Harvey is reportedly weighing retirement-minded purchases, like a truck with a camper, Richards — a middle school math teacher — sees the win, and even playing the game itself, as a contribution toward her own retirement as a whole.

"The Oregon Lottery helps to fund schools, so I play to help myself,” Richards said with a laugh. "I helped me into retirement!"

Between 2015 and 2017, the Oregon Lottery reportedly directed more than $55 million in lottery sales toward Marion County-focused investments, such as economic developments, parks, and education.

For more on the Oregon Lottery and its games, visit OregonLottery.org.

Image via Oregon Lottery