$1.3 Billion Dollar Lotto Winner Is 8 Year Cancer Fighter
When the Powerball lotto reached $1.3 billion, this cancer fighter and everyone else tried to get their hands on a lotto ticket in hopes of winning and having their lives…
Billion dollar lottery winner comes forward and says he’s been battling cancer for 8 years.
Mario Tama / Staff via Getty ImagesWhen the Powerball lotto reached $1.3 billion, this cancer fighter and everyone else tried to get their hands on a lotto ticket in hopes of winning and having their lives change forever. The winner of the huge lotto has finally come forward.
We all wish we won the lottery. We think about all the things we'd do with the money. From buying a new home, expensive cars, paying off bills, setting up family for life, and more! But what about your health?
You've Won $1.3 Billion Dollars
Usually when the lotto gets that high, you never hear who the winner is or it takes months for it to even be claimed. This time the winner has come forward. He is a person who immigrated from Laos named Cheng Saephan, but everyone calls him Charlie. Charlie is a 46-year-old man from Portland, Oregon. What makes Charlie different from most people is that he's been fighting cancer for the past 8 years and just got off his latest chemotherapy treatment last week.
Cheng has a wife and 2 children. He was worried about how he would be able to take care of his children. He even questioned how long he would live. Now he can rethink all of this.
What Will This Powerball Winner Do With The Money?
According to Fox 5, Charlie said during a press conference in Oregon, "I will be able to provide for my family and my health." He also said he's going find a good doctor for himself. He chose to take the lump sum payment, which equals to about $422 million. But, he won't be taking the whole amount. He's only gonna take $211 million of it. The other half of the lump sum will go to a friend who he split the tickets with.
The night before the drawing, his friend Chao told Charlie that they were billionaires as a joke. But the next morning, they actually won.
Better Cancer Doctors
As a person who is also battling cancer, I know finances are always a worry. Yes, there's medical insurance that you have, but it doesn't cover everything. You have co-pays and deductibles. Those could be anywhere between $2,000 to $8,000. And those copays will add up.
I too have tried to get my hands on lotto tickets for this very reason. That's what makes this story even more special. Battling cancer is hard enough. To have a family you have to worry about is another. So for Charlie to win the lotto is something very special.
Their winning ticket was purchases in April at a Plaid Pantry convenience store in the Portland area. Before taxes, the lump sum was about $621 million. Cheng won the fourth largest Powerball jackpot in its history.
11 Places To Buy A Lottery Ticket Near Las Vegas
Over the years, the Powerball Jackpot has broken the record as the largest in United States history. And every time it comes back around, Las Vegas residents are scrambling to find a place to buy a lottery ticket.
Most of us run down to Primm on the border of California, but the lines there get ridiculously long. Sometimes more than and hour, or worse. But since the lottery still isn't legal in Nevada, there aren't a lot of choices for locals who want to play.
Ways To Cash In Your Lottery Ticket After You Win
Of course, many people who do win don't want to wait for payments and instead choose to get paid all at once in a lump sum. Even though it's significantly less money, it's still amounts to a ton for the old bank account.
Still, the chance of someone winning the jackpot in Powerball isn't great. It's hard to do because all six balls (five white balls and the Powerball red) have to be matched up with the ticket.
But players still play because the odds of winning another prize in the lottery is much better than winning the Powerball jackpot. Those odds are about 1 in 24.9. That definitely makes a ticket worth the cost, even when you factor in the gas it takes us to get to it.
Because for Las Vegas residents, it's not as simple as just buying a ticket. Since our jurisdiction in Nevada prevents companies from selling lottery tickets, locals have to travel to cities around Southern Nevada to find one. And most of us flock to Primm because it's the obvious choice.
But what we gain in travel time, we lose in the time we take standing in that line. So, if you're looking to get into a drawing in the near future, maybe consider getting a ticket from one of these nearby cities. They're all less than a 2-hour drive from Las Vegas. And the lines are most likely shorter than the ones at the state line.
11 Places Close To Las Vegas To Buy A Lottery Ticket
1. The Lotto Store in Primm - 50 minutes
This is one of the most-popular places for Vegas locals to go for a lottery ticket. Just factor in time to stand in those lines when you plan your trip!
Shell Gas Station & Country Store - 1 hour, 6 minutes
If you don't want to wait in the Primm lines, you could drive another 17 minutes and get them at the Shell gas station in Nipton.
Last Stop Travel Center - 1 hour, 8 minutes
This is a popular place for Las Vegas locals to grab a ticket because it's just 30 miles southeast of Hoover Dam. In May of 2021 this stop sold a Triple Twist jackpot lottery ticket worth over $665K (news3lv.com).
Grand Canyon Texaco in White Hills - 1 hour, 11 minutes
Referred to as a Conoco on the map, this one is a quick 71 minutes away.
Charles Brown Market - 1 hour, 26 minutes
A drive through Pahrump into Shoshone, California can get you a ticket at the Charles Brown Market. Maybe gets some peanuts while you're there. ;)
Baker - 1 hour, 28 minutes
There are lots of places is Baker, California that sell lottery tickets. And less than a 90 minute drive.
Dolan Station - 1 hour, 27 minutes
In Dolan Springs, Arizona.
Maverik Adventure's First Stop - 1 hour, 43 minutes
In Bullhead City Arizona, this one is just a few minutes under a 2-hour drive.
Jeff’s River Mart - 1 hour, 46 minutes
If Maverick's in Bullhead City is too busy, there's another stop close by. Bring a friend and divide and conquer!
Terrible Herbst in Bullhead City - 1 hour, 45 minutes
Or bring two friends and divide and conquer.
Flying J Travel Center in Kingman - 1 hour, 54 minutes
And coming in at just under two hours is the Flying J in Kingman, Arizona.
