Historic Win in Portland
A single ticket sold in Portland, Oregon has won the $1.326 billion Powerball jackpot. This monumental win marks the 41st drawing in the current jackpot run. The winning numbers for Saturday night’s jackpot were 22, 27, 44, 52, and 69, with a Powerball of 9. The winner has the option to take a cash payment of $621 million.
Excitement at the Oregon Lottery
Melanie Mesaros, spokesperson for the Oregon Lottery, expressed excitement as this is their first winner on such a scale. Only the Portland zip code where the ticket was sold (97218) will be released until the winner comes forward. The winner has one year to claim their prize. Oregon Lottery Director Mike Wells announced it was the fourth-largest Powerball jackpot in history and the largest ever won in Oregon.
Verification and Security Measures
The drawing had been delayed due to a participating lottery needing extra time to complete required pre-draw procedures. Powerball game rules require every ticket sold nationwide to be checked and verified against two different computer systems before drawing winning numbers. The estimated $1.3 billion jackpot is also the eighth-largest overall when including Mega Millions jackpots. If chosen, winners can opt for an estimated lump-sum pre-tax payment of $608.9 million or annual payouts over 29 years that increase by 5% each year. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million.
Winners Come Forward
The winners of last month’s $1.3 billion Powerball lottery have been revealed. Cheng “Charlie” Saephan represented a trio of winners at Oregon Lottery headquarters in Salem. Saephan and his friend Laiza Chao went in together on the winning ticket. Saephan is splitting his half with his wife, Duapen Saephan. The Saephans are from Portland, and Chao is from Milwaukie. They are the first Powerball winners in Oregon since 2018 when a Salem man won $150.4 million.
Claiming the Prize
This jackpot was nearly nine times that amount, having swelled to record proportions over more than three months without a Powerball winner. The $1.326 billion prize was the fourth-largest Powerball jackpot and eighth-largest ever won in the U.S. Their winning ticket matched all six numbers plus the Powerball and was the lone winning ticket in the April 6 drawing, purchased at a Plaid Pantry in northeast Portland. The convenience store received a $100,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket.
Public Announcement
The winners came forward the Monday after the drawing when Oregon Lottery announced it was working with the ticket holder, involving security measures and vetting before announcing a winner. Per state law, players in Oregon cannot remain anonymous with few exceptions; only a handful of lotteries in the U.S. allow anonymity. Charlie Saephan and Chao had the choice of a one-time cash payment or 30 annual installments; they chose to take the cash lump sum of $422 million after taxes (8% state and 24% federal taxes withheld).
Personal Stories
Saephan, 46, was born in Laos, moved to Thailand in 1987, and came to the United States in 1994. He graduated from high school in 1996. When the Powerball prize grew earlier this year, he wrote out numbers from the game on paper and slept with it under his pillow. He asked Chao if she wanted to chip in $100 toward tickets; their winning ticket was a quick pick. Chao was driving to work when Saephan called her to inform her they had won: “You don’t have to go to work now,” he told her. “We won the lottery; we won the jackpot.” She initially thought he was lying.
Future Plans
Saephan attended Monday’s press conference alone: “Now I have been blessed with this prize,” he said. “I am going to be able to provide for my family and my health.” He worked as a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machinist making aircraft components before going on disability in 2016 after being diagnosed with cancer; he is currently undergoing chemotherapy. Due to his health issues, he decided to take a lump sum payment; his first big purchase will be his dream home: “I love Oregon,” he said. “I’ve been here 30 years. I’ll stay in Oregon.”
Impact on the Community
The Oregon Lottery is working with the ticket holder who came forward on Monday to claim the prize. Security measures and vetting will take time before officially announcing the winner. No additional details about the person who came forward have been provided. In Oregon, winning players generally cannot remain anonymous, with few exceptions. This is the largest Powerball prize ever won in Oregon, surpassing a $340 million jackpot win in 2005. The last Powerball win in Oregon was in 2018 when a Salem man won $150.4 million.
Store Bonus and Community Sharing
The winning ticket was sold at a Plaid Pantry on Columbia Boulevard in Portland. The convenience store will receive a $100,000 bonus for selling the jackpot-winning ticket. Mike Wells, Director of the Oregon Lottery, stated that they are taking every precaution to verify the winner before awarding the prize money, which will take time. Saturday’s winning jackpot was the fourth-largest in Powerball history and the eighth-largest ever won in the U.S. After Saturday’s win, the Powerball jackpot reset to $20 million and has grown to $31 million with a cash value of $14.5 million due to no winners on Monday.
Future Drawings and Odds
Monday’s winning numbers were 6, 21, 23, 39, and 54; red Powerball was 23; Power Play was 2X. There were no Match 5 + Power Play $2 million winners or Match 5 $1 million winners reported on Monday. Full list of winners can be viewed on the Powerball website. Tickets can be purchased at gas stations, convenience stores, grocery stores, and some airport terminals. Online orders can be made through Jackpocket in certain U.S. states and territories including Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Texas, Washington D.C., and West Virginia.
