The winner of a billion-dollar lottery draw in the United States has been revealed as an immigrant from Laos who has been battling cancer for eight years.
Cheng 'Charlie' Saephan claimed the US$1.3b (NZD$2.1b) prize after buying a hundred dollar's worth of tickets at a Portland convenience store.
"I put my head down, took a deep breath and told my mom, 'mom, we're rich.' She said 'rich? How rich?', and I said 'really rich", Saephan said.
The draw was on 6th April, but Saephan has only just decided to go public with his winnings.
He said he will use the money to provide for his wife and children and is splitting it with a family friend.
“I will be able to provide for my family and my health,” he said, adding that he’d “find a good doctor for myself.”
After taxes, the pair get a lump sum payment of US$422 million.
It's the fourth largest Powerball jackpot in history.
At the time of the draw, the Oregon Lottery said it was the single biggest winning ticket sold in Portland.
"I want to congratulate the winner on this life changing moment, Oregon Lottery Director Mike Wells said in a statement. "No one in Oregon has ever won a prize on this scale, and it's a very exciting for our staff and players."
