BRAINTREE, Mass. — Someone has come forward as the winner of the $759 million Powerball winner!
It's the largest grand prize won by a single lottery ticket in U.S. history.
According to the Powerball website, one ticket sold in Chicopee, Massachusetts matched all six numbers in Wednesday’s drawing for the second-largest Jackpot in Powerball history.
The winning numbers were 6, 7, 16, 23 and 26, and the Powerball number was 4.
Annnd the winner is... Mavis L. Wanczyk! The 53-year-old hospital worker from Chicopee said she was "very happy" learning she won the jackpot.
She told reporters at a news conference Thursday afternoon that she was walking out of work with a friend, who read the winning numbers off his phone. Wanczyk said she couldn't believe it was real and it still hasn't fully sunk in that she is the big winner.
"I am a winner... I'm scared but I'll be OK," Wanczyk said.
RELATED STORIES:
- 7-time lottery winner shares tips for winning Powerball jackpot
- 4 things to know if you win Powerball or Mega Millions
- Things more likely to happen than you winning the Powerball
Wanczyk has a 31-year-old daughter and a 26-year-old son. Her mother and sisters joined her at the news conference. She said she hopes to take care of her family with her winnings.
When asked about the first thing she wants to do with the money, Wanczyk said, “I just want to sit back and relax. I had a pipe dream and my pipe dream finally came true.”
>>Watch her full interview at the top of the story
She said she plays the lottery often, but has never won big before.
She said she used birthdays to choose some of the numbers when she bought the winning Powerball ticket on Wednesday at a store in Chicopee.
Lottery officials say she chose to take a lump sum payment of $480 million, or $336 million after taxes.
They said the store that sold the winning ticket has committed the money it receives to charity.
Cox Media Group
