84-year-old woman claims massive Powerball jackpot

Gary Strauss | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption $590M Powerball jackpot goes to 84-year-old woman Gloria Mackenzie, an 84-year-old woman, is the single winner to claim the second largest lottery prize in U.S. history, the $590 million dollar Powerball jackpot.

Winner is 84-year-old Gloria MacKenzie

She told lottery officials a man allowed her to go in front of him in line

She elected to take the lump-sum payment of %24370.8M%2C pre-tax

The winner of a record $590.5 million Powerball jackpot is an 84-year-old Florida woman, lottery officials say.

Gloria MacKenzie came forward two weeks after hitting the second-largest lottery jackpot ever. She didn't attend a Wednesday press conference although under Florida law, her name was disclosed.

MacKenzie elected to receive her winnings in a lump-sum payment, worth a pre-tax $370.8 million. She bought the winning ticket at a Publix supermarket in Zephyrhills, a town of 13,000 about 30 miles northeast of Tampa.

MacKenzie, a mother of four, grandmother and great-grandmother, did not speak to reporters outside lottery headquarters, leaving in a silver Ford Focus with family members. But lottery officials say that MacKenzie told them as she was waiting in line to buy her ticket, a man allowed her to go in front of him, enabling her to purchase the winning quick-pick ticket. Previously, she had purchased four additional tickets ahead of the May 18 drawing.

In a statement, MacKenzie said she was "grateful for this blessing of winning'' but said she preferred to stay out of the limelight. "We hope that everyone will give us an opportunity to maintain our privacy for our family's benefit," she said.

Wednesday's announcement ended two weeks of speculation among the dreamers who had snapped up millions of tickets.

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

MacKenzie, the largest sole lottery jackpot winner in history, had 60 days from the drawing date to claim a lump-sum payment.

Mackenzie lives in a modest grey duplex that backs up to a dirt alley and is across from a cow pasture. Neighbors said Mackenzie never mentioned her big win. The former resident of East Millinocket, Maine, has been a full-time Zephyrhills resident for several years.

"She's so quiet and secluded,'' neighbor James Hill said. "I'm very happy for her. It couldn't have happened to a nicer person. She was always pleasant and smiling."

Another neighbor, Don Cecil, joked "I hope she gets a better place to live."

MacKenzie's husband, Ralph, died in 2005.

Follow @gbstrauss on Twitter. Contributing: Stephanie Solis; Associated Press