The Biggest Lottery Wins in United States History

Mavis Wanczyk of Chicopee, Massachusetts, won the $758.7 million Powerball jackpot in 2017 after buying her ticket at a Pride Station & Store. She was 53 and had worked at Mercy Medical Center for 32 years. A coworker helped her check the numbers, and the shock quickly turned public.

Almost immediately, Wanczyk said she had called the hospital and told them she would not be returning. She wanted to relax, sit back, and enjoy life after decades of work. The cash option was about $480.5 million before taxes, enough to retire instantly, support family, and live privately on her own terms.