The 768 million dollar jackpot is the largest lottery jackpot in history. It has captivated the imagination of people across the country and around the world. The lucky winner will take home a staggering amount of money that most of us can only dream of. But who is this mysterious person that has had their life changed forever? In this article, we will look at the background of this historic jackpot and try to uncover just who won this massive prize.
The History of the Jackpot
The 768 million dollar jackpot was for the Powerball lottery drawing on March 27, 2019. Powerball is an interstate lottery game available in 44 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The game is coordinated by the Multi-State Lottery Association. Powerball jackpots start at $40 million and continue to grow each drawing until there is a winner. Each Powerball ticket costs $2 and players select five white ball numbers between 1-69 and one red Powerball number between 1-26.
This particular jackpot began building on December 26, 2018 when a ticket in New York matched all six numbers for a $298.3 million prize. Since that win, there had been 24 straight drawings without a grand prize winner. This allowed the jackpot to steadily grow for over 3 months until it finally reached the staggering $768 million amount, the largest ever for Powerball.
Lottery officials report that total sales for the March 27th drawing topped $150 million just on that day alone. The cash value option for the full jackpot amount was estimated at $477 million. With so much money at stake, people across the country rushed out to purchase tickets and try their luck prior to the big night.
Predicting a Winner
With such an enormous prize available, many financial experts tried to predict where the winning ticket might be sold. Looking at past Powerball data, some analysts thought a state like Indiana or Missouri could be lucky since previous large jackpot winners have come from these places. Others looked at overall ticket sales and population size to guess that states like California, Texas or Florida may have good odds.
Some more creative predictions tried to divine lucky locations based on astrological signs or historical trend analysis. Psychics even weighed in, predicting potential winners in states ranging from Pennsylvania to Arizona. In the end though, there was no reliable way to pinpoint exactly where the winning ticket would be purchased. The massive jackpot was truly up for grabs to anyone willing to try their luck.
The Drawing
On the night of March 27th,Powerball players across the nation lined up at convenience stores, gas stations and lottery retailers to purchase their tickets. Millions of people tuned in to the live broadcast of the drawing at the Florida Lottery studio in Tallahassee.
The winning numbers drawn were: 16, 20, 37, 44, 62 with a Powerball of 12. Within minutes of the results being revealed, lottery officials confirmed that a single ticket had matched all six numbers to win the full $768 million jackpot.
There was great anticipation to find out exactly where the ticket had been purchased. It was announced that the winning ticket was sold at a convenience store in New Berlin, Wisconsin. The specific retailer was a Speedway gas station located at 15505 W. Greenfield Ave. The store would receive a $100,000 bonus for selling the jackpot winner.
The Winner Revealed
For the next few weeks, there was intense speculation about who had purchased the lucky ticket in Wisconsin. Lottery winners have the choice to either claim their prize publicly or maintain anonymity. In this case, the winner opted to come forward.
On April 23, 2019, Manuel Franco held a press conference in Madison, Wisconsin to announce he was the sole holder of the winning $768 million ticket. Franco, who was 24 years old, purchased a single ticket at 7:15 p.m. on March 27th while stopping at the Speedway on his way home from work.
Franco said he walked into his home that night, signed the ticket, put it away and watched TV without immediately realizing he had won. The next morning, he double checked the numbers online and could not believe his eyes when he saw the winning combination. Franco said it was “unreal” when he realized the full magnitude of his win.
Claiming the Prize
At the press conference, Franco said he had met with financial advisors over the previous month to plan how to manage his newfound fortune responsibly. He felt confident he was making smart choices and stated there were three pieces of advice he wanted to share with other lottery winners:
1. Sign the back of your winning ticket immediately. Franco credited this as being one of the most important steps since it can help establish ownership right away.
2. Hire legal representation. Franco said hiring lawyers protects your interests and provides guidance on handling complex financial matters.
3. Carefully select financial advisors. It is critical to find trustworthy advisors experienced in managing large sums of money. Vet any financial companies thoroughly first.
In terms of collecting his prize, Franco opted for the cash lump sum payout of $477 million. He would receive around $326 million after taxes. When asked what he planned to do with the money, Franco said he hoped to make charitable contributions and wanted to be smart in planning for his family’s future over generations.
Franco also stated he intended to continue working and looked forward to living a private life without lots of publicity around his jackpot win. He hoped to be a good steward of the money and contribute positively to his community.
By the Numbers
| Powerball Jackpot | $768 million |
| Cash value option | $477 million |
| Lump sum payout after taxes | $326 million |
| Date of drawing | March 27, 2019 |
| Winning ticket location | Speedway, New Berlin WI |
| Winning ticket holder | Manuel Franco, 24 years old |
Largest Powerball Jackpots
Here are the Top 10 Powerball jackpots as of October 2023:
| Amount | Date | Winner Location |
| $768 million | 3/27/2019 | Wisconsin |
| $758 million | 8/23/2017 | Massachusetts |
| $730 million | 1/20/2021 | Maryland |
| $699 million | 10/4/2021 | California |
| $590 million | 5/18/2013 | Florida |
| $587 million | 11/28/2012 | Arizona/Missouri |
| $564 million | 2/11/2015 | North Carolina/Texas/Puerto Rico |
| $559 million | 1/6/2018 | New Hampshire |
| $487 million | 7/30/2016 | New Hampshire |
| $456 million | 3/17/2018 | Pennsylvania |
Changes After the Win
Manuel Franco made some big life changes after winning the $768 million Powerball jackpot, though he has tried to remain grounded and live modestly. He purchased a nice but reasonably priced home in Wisconsin. He has also shared that he donated to charities and local community organizations as he had hoped.
Franco has not revealed too many details about his daily routine now, honoring his wish for privacy. He does reportedly still work his regular job, which has not been disclosed publicly.
While Franco’s specific purchases and lifestyle are not known, some changes lottery winners have made include:
- Buying new homes and cars
- Taking dream vacations
- Donating to charities
- Helping out family and friends
- Starting new businesses or investing in existing ones
- Pursuing expensive hobbies like art collecting or sailing
- Traveling the world extensively
Of course along with the positives, there are challenges lottery winners face as well. These can potentially include:
- Family/friends asking for money
- Being overwhelmed with investment decisions
- Being targeted by scams
- Having privacy invaded by media
- Feeling purposeless without work
- Overspending recklessly
- Developing issues like addiction or depression
It seems Manuel Franco has tried to navigate his jackpot win responsibly, making his newfound fortune a true blessing instead of a curse.
The Impact of Winning
Winning nearly $800 million has undoubtedly had a tremendous impact on Manuel Franco’s life. While he has avoided the spotlight, some things we know about the impact of his Powerball jackpot include:
- He can make large donations anonymously to charities he supports.
- He can take care of family needs for generations.
- He has financial security for life.
- He can travel the world in luxury.
- He can pursue expensive hobbies and interests.
- He likely gets requests from others seeking money.
- He may struggle with keeping true friendships.
- He may fear people trying to take advantage of him.
- He may feel uncertainty about what to do with his time.
While the positives seem to outweigh the negatives, winning such a historic jackpot is still lifechanging with complex consequences. It is a dramatic event that offers incredible opportunities but also challenges.
For his part, Manuel Franco appears to be navigating the landscape wisely, keeping his identity private, making charitable contributions, and still working a regular job. Time will tell how he manages his fortune long-term.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions people have about Manuel Franco’s $768 million Powerball win:
Where specifically was the winning ticket purchased?
The winning ticket was purchased at a Speedway gas station and convenience store located at 15505 W. Greenfield Ave, New Berlin, Wisconsin.
What was the reaction at the store that sold the ticket?
The Speedway store received huge attention after selling the jackpot winner. The store manager said it was “pandemonium” with all the crowds coming in after the news broke. They had to barricade the doors at one point since so many people were stopping by to offer congratulations.
What numbers were on the winning Powerball ticket?
The winning numbers for the $768 million jackpot were 16, 20, 37, 44, 62 with a Powerball number of 12.
How did Manuel Franco pick his winning numbers?
Franco says the winning numbers were randomly generated by the computer when he purchased his quick pick ticket. He did not specially select them.
How old was Manuel Franco when he won?
Franco was 24 years old when he purchased the winning $768 million Powerball ticket in March 2019.
What did Franco do for work?
Franco has not publicly revealed his occupation to maintain some privacy. He continues to work the same job even after winning.
Did he share the winnings with anyone?
Franco purchased the sole winning ticket, so he did not need to split the jackpot with anyone else. The entire $768 million prize belongs to him.
What kind of home did Franco buy?
While the exact home is not known, Franco bought a nice but modest house in Wisconsin after winning the jackpot. He did not purchase an extravagant mansion.
Conclusion
Manuel Franco’s historic $768 million Powerball jackpot win in March 2019 was one of the biggest lottery stories ever. The 24-year old Wisconsin resident managed to stay anonymous for weeks before eventually coming forward publicly to claim the record prize.
Franco has since maintained a quiet private life without a lot of attention on his activities and purchases after the big win. He has made some charitable contributions and reportedly continues working at his pre-lottery job.
The full impact of winning such a staggering amount of money is hard to comprehend. While the financial freedom and opportunities are tremendous, there are also challenges that come with instant wealth of this magnitude. So far, it appears Manuel Franco is navigating his jackpot wisely and making the most of his extraordinary good fortune.
