US hospital worker claims $759 million jackpot

Washington Aug 25 (IANS) A hospital worker in Massachusetts in the US has claimed a record-breaking undivided jackpot of $758.7 million.

Mavis Wanczyk 53 bought the winning Powerball ticket at a convenience store in Chicopee just north of Springfield. The lucky numbers were 6 7 16 23 26 and the Powerball was 4.

"The first thing I want to do is just sit back and relax " Xinhua news agency quoted Wanczyk as saying on Thursday.

She said she had already quit her job a clerical one that she had done for 32 years in the nursing department of Mercy Medical Centre.

Wanczyk decided to take a lump-sum payment of $480.5 million or $336 million after taxes rather than claim the full amount over time according to the state lottery.

Winners who take a gradual payout will get more money spread out over dozens of years.

A winning ticket matches five numbers drawn between 1 and 69 while the "Powerball" number is drawn from 1 to 26.

The odds of winning are only one in 292 million. In comparison the odds of being hit by lightning are one in less than 162 000 according to the US National Safety Council.

The jackpot is the largest ever won with a single ticket and the second-largest US lottery prize dwarfed by a $1.6 billion Powerball jackpot won by three people in early 2016.

With drawings being held twice a week Powerball is played in 44 states plus Washington Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands all of which collectively oversee the game.

--IANS
py/mr