In May 2013, Gloria MacKenzie walked into a Publix supermarket in Zephyrhills, Florida, to buy a Powerball ticket. The 84-year-old grandmother never thought that one kind act from a stranger would change her life forever. Another customer waiting in line let her go ahead, and that choice led to the biggest single lottery jackpot win in United States history.
MacKenzie bought a Quick Pick ticket and matched all five numbers plus the Powerball in the May 18 drawing. She won $590.5 million, making it the largest lottery prize ever won by one person at the time. The jackpot was also the second largest in U.S. history, after the $656 million Mega Millions prize split by three winners in March 2012. MacKenzie chose to take the lump sum payment of $370.9 million before taxes, which came to about $278 million after taxes.
