Charlie Saephan, who has been battling cancer since 2016, won 1.3 billion dollars from the Powerball jackpot in Oregon, lottery officials have revealed.
Saephan, who was originally from Laos but moved to Thailand in 1987, came to America in 1994. He was a machinist by trade before being diagnosed in 2016 with cancer. He underwent his latest chemotherapy treatment last week.
The prize, the eighth largest in US history, will be split with Charlie’s wife Duapen and his friend Laiza.
Speaking about his win, Charlie said he would pray to God to protect him and guide him in how to spend his prize. It is the fourth-largest Powerball jackpot so far.
Powerball drew the numbers early on Sunday and the winning numbers were white balls 22, 27, 44, 52, 69 and red Powerball 9. The drawing is the 41st since the last Powerball winner hit the jackpot on New Year’s Day.
The winner matched the correct six double-digit numbers on a $2 ticket. The chances of that happening are one in 292.2 million, which means the top prize rolls over multiple times and the jackpot gets bigger.
The prize of around $1.3 billion can be taken as a single lump sum of about $608.9 million. The other option is an initial payment followed by 29 annual payments.
Officials said Saephan decided to take his winnings as a lump sum, $422 million after taxes, CBS News reported. Saephan said his friend is getting part of the prize because she gave him $100 towards buying the lottery tickets—he bought more than 20.
The winning ticket was sold earlier this month at a Plaid Pantry convenience store in Portland, ending a winless streak that had stretched more than three months, the report said.
Powerball tickets are sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands and in Puerto Rico.
With inputs from Reuters
