There is a new millionaire in the Powerball club! Manuel Franco from Wisconsin has come forward to claim the huge $768 million jackpot of March 27th, 2019. The 24-year-old is now Powerball’s biggest winner (on a single ticket), as he has passed Mavis Wanczyk’s record of $758.7 million.
How Did it Happen?
So, what do you have to do to win $768 million in the Powerball? Well, as Manuel’s story can attest, you just have to play! He bought his first Powerball ticket on his 18th birthday and since then, he’s been a regular. But on March 27th, Manuel knew that his time had come.
He told the press he felt so lucky that day, he just had a feeling. He went to a Speedway and he bought $10 worth of Powerball tickets and he knew it would be special. He even looked at the cameras after he did. He said he wanted to wink at it.
As you can see, his feeling was right on spot. On March 27th, Manuel Franco won his Powerball fortune. How does it feel to find out you are $768 million? Manuel described it like this “I was going insane. My heart started racing. I screamed for about 5 or 10 minutes.”
At first, Manuel didn’t know what to do, so he tried to stick to his routine. He went to work the next day, as if nothing had changed, but soon found out that there is no way to ignore a Powerball jackpot. He felt excited and anxious that day and soon realized he doesn’t have to go to work anymore because he is now a Powerball millionaire.
So, Manuel prepared and a few weeks later he came forward to collect his prize. He opted for the lump sum payout on his Powerball jackpot, which was worth $477 million. This left him with $326 million after he paid the due taxes.
What’s Next for Manuel Franco?
After winning the Powerball jackpot, you have all the possibilities in the world! Manuel Franco said that he doesn’t want to rush things. He wants to let everything sink in before making any major changes.
“I’m sure you’ll never see me as like one of the people who went bankrupt or broke or anything like that. I plan to live my life normal as much as possible,” he said. He wants to use his money to support some noble causes, but first, he wants to secure himself a steady future for the long run.