Meet the winner of the $1.3 billion Powerball jackpot
The massive $1.3 million Powerball jackpot was won by an immigrant in Portland, Oregon who is battling cancer who says “My life has been changed.”
On April 6, the Powerball jackpot, which had been accumulated since the beginning of January, was finally won. However, ticketholders nationwide were left in suspense that Saturday night as to what the winning numbers would be for the $1.3 billion jackpot, since the drawing was delayed due to some logistical problems. However, one lucky ticket struck gold, but who was the winner?
At the beginning, it was revealed that the winner bought their ticket in Portland, but it was not until this week that that person’s identity was made known. He is an immigrant, who will share his prize with his wife and a friend.
Cheng “Charlie” Saephan, 46, was the only person in the country to match all six numbers in the draw (22-27-44-52-69 − 9 PB). According to a statement from the Powerball lottery, Saephan will share the prize with Duanpen Saephan, 37, his wife and his friend Laiza Chao, 55, of Milwaukee.
The prize will be divided between the three individuals: 50% (Chao) and 25% for each of the spouses. All three chose to take the cash option, which amounts to $422,309,193.97 after taxes.
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Powerball winner is fighting cancer
Saephan, whose real name is Iu-Mienh, was born in Laos and has lived in Portland for the past 30 years. It was revealed that Saephan, who is fighting cancer, bought more than 20 tickets for the drawing. In the weeks before the jackpot, he wrote the game numbers (1-69) on a piece of paper and slept with it under his pillow.
“I prayed to God to help me,” he said. “My kids are small and I am not that healthy,” he added. He also noted that the prize money will allow him “to provide for my family and my health.” he said. “My life has been changed. Now I can bless my family and hire a good doctor for myself.”
Saephan also told the lottery that Chao gave him $100 to purchase tickets for the game, so he got a share of the prize. After discovering he had the winning ticket in his hands, he called her to tell him the news. “I told him: ‘Laiza, where are you?’ and he said: ‘I’m going to work,’” Saephan said. “I replied: ‘You don’t have to go anymore,’” he added.
Powerball drawings take place three times a week, every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. m. ET (9:59 p.m. CT/7:59 p.m. PT) from the Florida Lottery drawing studio in Tallahassee.
Tickets can be purchased in almost every state in the country, except for Alabama, Nevada, Utah, Hawaii and Alaska. This lottery is also available in Washington D.C., the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. The cost of the standard ticket is $2 dollars.
The cut-off time to purchase tickets for this lottery, whether in person or online, is within one to two hours before the scheduled drawing, but varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.