The Biggest Lottery Wins in United States History

Manuel Franco was 24 when he won the $768.4 million Powerball jackpot in Wisconsin in 2019. He bought the winning ticket at a Speedway in New Berlin, and later said his heart started racing when he realized what had happened. At the time, it was Wisconsin’s largest lottery prize ever.

Rather than take the annuity, Franco chose the cash option of about $477 million, receiving just over $326 million after taxes. He said he wanted to live “as normal as possible” and had already hired a team of advisers. For someone in his twenties, the win meant instant wealth but also instant responsibility.