Ore. Foursome Claims $340 Million Lottery Jackpot
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Two Oregon couples came forward Tuesday to claim the second-biggest jackpot in U.S. lottery history: $340 million.
Lottery officials confirmed that Steve West, his wife, Carolyn, and his in-laws, Bob and Frances Chaney, held the winning ticket in Oct. 19 Powerball drawing. The two couples had gone in together on $40 worth of tickets.
They arrived at lottery headquarters to have the ticket verified and decide whether they wanted the money in an after-tax lump sum of $110 million, or 30 annual installments of about $7.6 mie West went on television to claim he and his relatives had the winning ticket. But it was up to the lottery to verify the claim.
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The biggest lottery jackpot in U.S. history was $363 million, won by two ticket holders in Illinois and Michigan in 2000.
Powerball is played in 27 states.