SALEM, Ore. — A roofer from the town of Myrtle Creek won $50,000 from a Powerball ticket — but he was only one number away from winning the entire jackpot, according to the Oregon Lottery.
“Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice to win $50,000, but it really messes with you that you were one number away,” said Robert Staley, laughing ruefully.
Staley told the Oregon Lottery that he uses his family’s birth dates for his numbers and has been playing them for years. This time, when he purchased a ticket at McKay’s Market in Myrtle Point, those numbers paid off.
“We hit all the birthdays but the number we missed was a 32, hard to win when there isn’t a month with 32 days in it!” he said. “But they hit and so we will take it!”
The winning numbers on the Feb. 23 drawing were 04-06-14-20-32- with a Powerball of 13. Staley hit all the numbers but the 32 to win $50,000. He also won $4 on a separate ticket.
“It will be nice to owe nothing on my house, that will be great,” Staley said.
