Ex-Bengal Domata Peko's father-in-law receives $1M after selling $2B Powerball ticket
Chahayed said the windfall won't send him into an early retirement
The winning ticket for the record $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot was sold at a California convenience store owned by the father-in-law of a former NFL player.
Joe Chahayed is the father-in-law of former Bengals and Broncos defensive tackle Domata Peko, who also played for the Baltimore Ravens and finished his career with the Arizona Cardinals.
Chahayed was all smiles as he held a Powerball bonus check for $1 million outside his Joe's Service Center in California Tuesday.
"I’m 75, still young. I will be here tomorrow at 6 o’clock. I love work," said Chahayed, who wore a California Lottery hat and matching T-shirt that said "Millionaire Made Here."
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Business owner Joe Chahayed holds a Powerball bonus check outside Joe's Service Center, which sold the winning Powerball ticket of over $2 billion in Altadena, Calif., Nov. 8, 2022. (Xinhua via Getty Images / Getty Images)
Officials have not released the identity of the ticket holder who matched all six numbers: 10, 33, 41, 47, 56 and a Powerball of 10.
"Somebody is holding onto a very important piece of paper this morning worth $2.04 billion," California Lotto spokeswoman Carolyn Becker told reporters outside the store.
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Peko sent a tweet Tuesday night congratulating his father-in-law.
Chahayed mentioned that he plans to share the money with his family, which includes 11 grandchildren.
Domata Peko of the Cincinnati Bengals warms up prior to a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field Sept. 18, 2016, in Pittsburgh. (Joe Sargent/Getty Images / Getty Images)
Chahayed’s son Danny, who helps run the business, noted that he encouraged his father to retire, but that is unlikely.
Danny said he hopes the winner "is actually from the community, so that way they know the struggles of the people around here, and they can give back."
Joe Chahayed left, holds a check for $1 million for a retailer selling bonus next to Daniel Chahayed at Joe's Service Center Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, in Altadena, Calif. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images / Getty Images)
The convenience store has proved to be lucky in the past. According to Chahayed, the store previously sold Super Lotto and Fantasy 5 tickets that resulted in $8,000 to $9,000 in winnings for the ticket holders.
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According to the Multi-State Lottery Association, the odds of matching all five numbers and the Powerball number is 1 in 292.2 million.