Lottery and jackpots are hugely popular, as these can be hugely rewarding without any major investment or financial risk. Provided that one wins the lottery, of course. While the probability of winning a lottery is pretty low, thousands of people still put their money in the hope of getting lucky.
And for the ones who do emerge winners, it's usually a life-changing event. Imagine waking up one day and finding millions in the bank account. In essence, winning a lottery or jackpot can be a massively overwhelming experience. To get a feel, here's a look at some of the biggest lottery winners in the world of all time.
2019 Powerball, $477 million, Wisconsin
The winner was 24-year-old Manuel Franco, who said that it all felt like a dream. He is among the youngest people to win Powerball lottery. The ticket was purchased at Speedway in New Berlin, around 15 miles west of Milwaukee. Final payment after taxes was $326 million.
2017 Powerball, $481 million, Massachusetts
The winner was Mavis Wancyzk, who used to work at a hospital. After taxes, the net payout was $356 million. One of the first things that Mavis did was call up the hospital where she worked to inform them, she is not returning to work. Sounds like a bit rude, but things change when you have millions in the bank account.
2021 Powerball, $496 million, California
The winner was Scott Godfrey, who had purchased the ticket from a Morro Bay Albertsons Supermarket. While California does not impose taxes on lottery winnings, $78 million was collected as part of California public education scheme.
2021 Powerball, $547 million, Maryland
This lottery was won by a group, whose members have chosen not to disclose their identities. The ticket was purchased at the Coney Market in Lonaconing, Maryland. After state and federal taxes, the final payout was $366.6 million.
2022 Mega Millions, $747 million, Illinois
The winner of this lottery has chosen to remain anonymous. The ticket was purchased at a Speedway gas station. Apart from the winner, the gas station was also rewarded 1% commission on jackpot, along with up to $500,000 worth of prize drawings and scratch games.
2021 Mega Millions, $778 million, Michigan
The winner in this draw was FLL Wolverine Club, a lottery club with four members. The ticket was purchased at a Kroger in Novi, Michigan. While the lump sum amount was $776.6 million, it attracted federal tax of 24% and state tax of 4.25%. The net amount paid was $557 million.
2018 Mega Millions, $878 million, South Carolina
The winner chose to remain anonymous, although it's known that it was a lady. The ticket was purchased at KC Mart in Simpsonville, South Carolina. Sharing her experience with lottery officials, the woman had said that she had actually allowed another person to jump the queue before getting her ticket. Whether or not this impacted her luck is difficult to determine, as the quick pick was generated randomly. But it does make for a sensational story. She won $877.8 million, making her the biggest lottery winner in the world of all time. Applicable taxes were at $61 million.
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