As the lottery continues to grow in popularity, so too do the stories of those lucky enough to win big. Whether it’s a life-changing jackpot or a smaller windfall that still makes a difference, winning the lottery is certainly an exciting experience. Here are some of the biggest lottery winners in recent history and their inspiring stories of luck and fortune.
In 2021, $1.5 billion was up for grabs in the Powerball draw – and one ticket holder from Florida took home the full amount! After taxes, this lucky player walked away with an incredible $877 million prize, making them one of the biggest lottery winners in recent history and setting a new record for largest single-ticket jackpot win ever.
Another huge winner was Marie Holmes from North Carolina who won over $188 million on Powerball back in 2015. Her story is particularly inspiring as she used her windfall to help out her local community. She donated a portion of her winnings to local charities such as inner city youth programs and churches, proving just how powerful good luck can be!
One of the most memorable lottery wins belongs to Gloria C Mackenzie from Zephyrhills, Florida who won an amazing $590 million Mega Millions jackpot back in 2013. At 84 years old at the time of her win, Gloria became both one of the oldest big winners as well as one of the most generous – she donated almost half of her winnings to charity!
Finally, we have Mavis Wanczyk who won an astonishing $758 million on Powerball back in 2017. Mavis is proof that sometimes all you need is persistence – she had been playing lottery tickets since she was 18 years old but only won her massive prize after 30 long years! After taxes, Mavis walked away with an impressive $480 million which she used to buy herself a house and take care of her family’s financial future.
These incredible stories illustrate just how lucky some people can get when it comes to winning lotteries – but it’s true that luck isn’t everything; persistence pays off too! So if you want your chance to join these illustrious names among some of history’s biggest lottery winners then make sure you keep playing regularly – you never know when your luck might strike!
