Cheng “Charlie” Saephan, a Portland, Oregon, father of two, was declared the winner of the enormous jackpot on Monday. It is the fourth-largest in the lottery’s history.
Along with his companion, Laiza Chao, 55, who paid $100 (£80) to purchase a batch of shared tickets, Mr. Saephan, 46, played the lotto.
Following their purchase, Ms. Chao joked, “We’re billionaires,” and emailed Mr. Saephan a picture of the tickets.
They prevailed the next day.
As Ms. Chao drove to work, Mr. Saephan called her and broke the news, saying, “You don’t have to go.”
Mr. Saephan claimed that he had written the game’s numbers on a piece of paper and kept it under his pillow in the weeks before the draw.
