US lottery player with cancer hits billion-dollar jackpot

46-year-old Cheng Saephan immediately announced that he would share the winnings with his wife and an acquaintance of the couple who contributed $100 to the ticket purchase. The lottery company in the US state of Oregon presented him as the lucky buyer of the winning ticket at a press event on Monday (local time) – a procedure that is quite common in the United States and which means appropriate media hype for the winner. Saephan beamed and held up a huge check for the photographers.

The father of two, who immigrated to the USA in 1994, said he had been suffering from cancer for eight years and was receiving chemotherapy just last week. But now his prayers have been answered. His family is now taken care of and he can look for a good doctor.

Saephan had purchased more than 20 tickets. When he found the lucky ticket with the correct number combination in the stack after the draw, he immediately called his 55-year-old friend who had taken part in buying the ticket. She was in the car on the way to work, said Saephan. He told her that she no longer had to work. He shares the other half of the money with his 37-year-old wife, and he wants to use it to buy a house, among other things.

Installments or one-time payment

“Powerball” winners can choose whether they receive the full amount paid out in installments over 30 years or receive a one-off payment minus a hefty discount. The trio opted for immediate payment – an amount of $422 million after tax deductions. Saephan explained this step by saying he didn’t know how long he would live.

The largest jackpot in US history was won in California in November 2022: At that time, there was $2.04 billion to be won. Participation in the “Powerball” lottery is possible in 45 US states as well as in the capital Washington, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.