Florida woman, 84, claims her Powerball jackpot -- in one payment

An 84-year-old woman has claimed the $590-million Powerball jackpot with a ticket bought in Zephyrhills, Fla., officials said on Wednesday.

The woman was identified as Gloria C. Mackenzie, who chose not to attend a news conference organized by lottery officials and broadcast from Tallahassee, Fla.

In a statement, Mackenzie asked for privacy. She is the largest sole lottery jackpot winner in history.

According to Cynthia F. O’Connell, Florida’s secretary of the lottery, Mackenzie opted for the single-payment option. That translates into $370 million before taxes.

Mackenzie rejected the longer-term option of 30 annual payments for the full $590 million.

The winning $2 ticket was bought at a Publix supermarket in Zephyrhills, a town of 13,000 about 30 miles northeast of Tampa.

The winning numbers -- 10, 13, 14, 22 and 52, with a Powerball number of 11 -- were drawn on May 18.

The odds of winning were put at 1 in 175 million.

The jackpot is larger than the $587.6 million Powerball jackpot split by Arizona and Missouri ticket-holders in November and is second to the $656-million Mega Millions jackpot won in March 2012 by ticket-holders in Illinois, Kansas and Maryland.

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