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Powerball: Jackpot Winner Claims \$590m Prize

Powerball: Jackpot Winner Claims \$590m Prize

The Florida Lottery says the winner of the record \$590m (£383.4m) Powerball jackpot has come forward.

Lottery officials identified the winner as 84-year-old Gloria MacKenzie, of Zephyrhillis, Florida.

She did not appear at Wednesday's press conference held by the state lottery, but officials read out a statement.

In it she said "another lottery ticket buyer was very kind enough to let me go ahead of her" when in line to buy her lucky ticket.

Under Florida law a winner cannot remain anonymous, but does not have to appear in public to acknowledge the prize.

The single winning ticket was sold at a Publix supermarket in the Tampa suburb on May 18.

Officials say it is the largest single jackpot win in US lotto history, and that the odds of taking home the top prize were 1 in 175 million

Ms MacKenzie reportedly took the smaller lump-sum payment option, which comes to \$370.8m (£241m) after taxes, instead of opting for annual cash payments.

She travelled to the state capital of Tallahassee with her son and two attorneys to claim her prize, lotto officials said.

Lottery winners have 60 days from the drawing date to claim a lump sum payment, but can wait six months to claim annual cash payments.