Includes video report
By Todd Northrop
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — At a press conference today, the Florida Lottery announced that the $590.5 million jackpot from the Powerball drawing held on May 18 was claimed by Gloria C. MacKenzie, 84, of Zephyrhills, Florida.
MacKenzie chose to receive her winnings in a one-time, lump-sum payment in the amount of $370,896,780.84.
She did not speak to a crowd of reporters outside lottery headquarters, leaving quickly in a silver Ford Focus with her son, Scott Mackenzie, and family friends. She was accompanied by two attorneys, who left in a separate car.
"We are all about making dreams come true here at the Florida Lottery, and this has been a time of great excitement for Ms. MacKenzie, the Zephyrhills community and the state of Florida," said Florida Lottery Secretary Cynthia O'Connell. "We're thrilled that a Florida resident has won this jackpot, and we wish her every happiness with her new fortune."
The jackpot-winning Powerball Quick Pick ticket was purchased at Publix, located at 7838 Gall Boulevard in Zephyrhills. The Florida Lottery retailer received a bonus incentive of $85,000 on Monday, May 20.
This series of jackpot rollovers generated more than $125 million in sales for the Florida Lottery, resulting in more than $50 million for Florida's Educational Enhancement Trust Fund (EETF).
Ms. MacKenzie provided the following statement to the Florida Lottery:
"Prior to the Lottery drawing, she and her son Scott had an agreement to split any proceeds with each other.
We bought the winning ticket as a single ticket even though we bought four other tickets before the drawing. While in line at Publix, another lottery player was kind enough to let me go ahead of them in line to purchase the winning Quick Pick ticket.
We are grateful for this blessing of winning the Florida Lottery Powerball jackpot and appreciate the interest of the public, state of Florida and the Lottery. We hope that everyone will give us an opportunity to maintain our privacy for our family's benefit. If you have any inquiries or questions, you may contact our representatives at the law firm of Brant, Abraham, Reiter, McCormick and Johnson or the financial planning firm of Madden Advisory Services, both of Jacksonville, Florida."
The Florida Lottery had scheduled this afternoon's news conference in Tallahassee, promising "big news" about the Powerball winner, after the winner stolled into Lottery headquarters around noon Wednesday.
MacKenzie opted to bypass the entire $590.5 million in 30 annual payments, and instead claimed the one-time lump sum option of $370 million, said Megan Dougherty, a spokesman for the Florida Lottery.
"They just walked right through the door," Dougherty said. "They didn't give anyone a heads-up. We were just as shocked as anyone else. They went up to our front desk to check in to see what they needed to do."
Dougherty said she had 60 days from the date of the drawing to claim a lump-sum prize. She could have waited until mid November to claim annual cash payments.
Despite her request for privacy, MacKenzie's name was revealed at the news conference because under state law, the winner cannot remain anonymous.
Lottery spokesman David Bishop said Mackenzie, her lawyers and financial adviser were very prepared when they arrived, spending about two hours going through the necessary paperwork.
"They had clearly been preparing for this. They took all this time to get everything in order," Bishop said.
Minutes after the announcement, a dozen reporters in Zephyrhills were camped outside Mackenzie's modest grey duplex, which backs up to a dirt alley and is across from a cow pasture.
Neighbors were surprised and said Mackenzie never mentioned her big win.
"She didn't say anything about it. She's so quiet and secluded. She's usually in the house," said neighbor James Hill. "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 neighbors offered few details about her life, including how long she'd lived there and whether she was married. They said she mostly kept to herself, but they saw her take short walks along the street and exchanged pleasantries with her.
Mackenzie's house, which was situated among mostly mobile home and pre-fabricated houses, had a chain link fence with grey shutters, a tin sheet roof and an old TV antenna.
VIDEO: Watch the press conference
Editor's Note: I apologize for the low volume level of the video. The video feed provided by the Florida Lottery had a barely-audible volume level. I tried boosting the volume as much as possible, but it is still low and you will need to raise the volume on your speakers.
MORE! Jay Leno talks about the winner's tax burden
"While in line at Publix, another lottery player was kind enough to let me go ahead of them in line to purchase the winning Quick Pick ticket."
Man, I'm sure that person is mad.
no sound on the video is it my computer or other members has the same issue?
She lives in Zypherhills and had to get attorneys and finance people from Jax.
really ? no one closer ?
The editor apologized for the sound volume,
but it's YouTube, use the speaker symbol at the bottom of the video to try and max it.
Doesn't matter, the RNG is changing the QP numbers in milliseconds.
Either she wanted to avoid all the sharks lurking in her area or her son Scott lives in Jax. Glad she took her time as both her and her son are very fortunate.
We hope that everyone will give us an opportunity to maintain our privacy for our family's benefit.
beggers don't care about your privacy
this family will better know how to Hide
sense beggers are coming
"see Shows like TLC lottery changed my life" for proof of endless beggers calling/asking in person/letters etc
this family if it reallyed wanted privacy they should of got better lawyers
and should of abused ever loophole possible in public record laws
privacy for this family is just wishful thinkin with no action
may they enjoy the cash, i just find it silly they wanted privacy yet they went public" they had a choice folks, they just picked lazy option of going public, sense god forbid someone who wants privacy takes Real action to bypass lottery mandate of public winners
OK, either scenario makes sense.
Exactly. In fact, if the person did not let her pass them in line, there may have been no jackpot winner at all, because the combination on her ticket probably would not have been generated. Most random number generators are seeded from the current time in milleseconds.
She declined the press conference, and yet her pic. is still online already,
now people that only know her by sight also know her name.
spot on
sooner or later todd we will have billion jackpot
one of these monsters is gonna get pass 500/600m draw and go for the billion
how many years it take is anyone guest thro
but i think with MM higher odds coming late this year
we at lest have other 500/600 jackpot in 2014 at lest , if not a other this year.....
we had 2 in 2012, and 1 so far in 2013
cross selling change/ price changes to pb/and soon to be MM higher odds change
have all created perfact growth for these monsters to be new normal jackpots
i remb looking at that first 600m level MM jackpot and going wow , this is once in lifetime level.....
now with 3 going past us, , am like, this is the new normal "high" jackpots
i really do "hope" the winners mom/son spiting the jackpot enjoy the cash
i just fear they have no idea how bad beggers are...............
Yea, LOL, sometimes when I buy QP's I tell the cashier "don't press the button till I count to 3"
Not sure what you mean by "seeded"
Can you elaborate ?
More likely they have ties in Jax since both legal and financial companies are here.
They picked a good financial planning company. Madden Advisory Services here in Jax hosts a Saturday morning radio show called "Smart Money". I always try to catch that program and they actually offer great financial planning and investment advice...
we had 2 in 2012, and 1 so far in 2013
All because of Power Ball and their $2. ticket price.................
$590.5 Million
good idea skipping the press conference.
I know, you'll all think this is cruel. But be honest, you're thinking it too: "84 years old!? Are you kidding me?!" I won't even live that long, and I have played this lottery since its inception without ever winning. What a cruel joke. Time to quit flushing money down the toilet!
You must be feeling a sense of glee and euphoria knowing that she brought TWO attorneys with her?
are you sure that picture is Gloria C Mackenzie the Powerball winner? There are over 10 people on facebook named Gloria Mackenzie.
I can understand needing advice between cash or 30 year payments (not if I was 85), but what did the lawyers do?
We really need to hit a jackpot so we can find out why it's necessary to have one two lawyers present to validate a ticket.
No, how could I be ?
But if it's not her real picture I hope the same thing happens here when I win,
and every one in Jersey and elsewhere sees a picture of some other haymaker. LOL
I'm not on facebook.
Perhaps golf club lady will be happy to tell us WHY we need TWO attorneys to validate a large winner?
Not cruel, I'm sure she is happy for her children and grandchildren.
Love hearing it was a single quick pick that won. That's usually how I buy mine - one at a time. Even if I'm gonna get several tickets I almost always spread them out over a few days.
Absolutely. It'll soften the blow of her passing.
The local news just confirmed that the son lives in Jax on the Westside. A reporter was doing a live report from in front of his house...
The death of privacy !
a moment of silence please ?
I hate to break your bubble but I read somewhere that she had 6 tix.
Will someone explain to me ..........why she didn't have to be at the lottery
in Person ???? Florida isn't an Anonymous state ?????
Sent attorneys as legal representatives.
And she's not anonymous, we know her name.
Congratulation to the winners
She was at lottery headquarters with her son, legal, and finacial representatives to sign all the necessary paperwork. She chose not to be at the live press conference which she was not required to be at (and it was a smart move not being at the press conference)...
Congratulations to the MacKenzies! I have to wonder how I would react if I were 84 and won that kind of money. I'd probably have a heart attack and never get to see my winnings. I just hope with their decision to have "her" come forward, the son has provided around the clock security.
I'm not on facebook either. You can still search for names on FB without having your own account. I did a quick search of her name to confirm what you said about her picture being on the internet.
If I was ever lucky enough to win a jackpot and I knew my name was going to be made public, I'd start a facebook account and upload the picture of some random guy just to throw all the nosey reporters off the track.
I have to wonder how I would react if I was 84. LOL
When I win , I'll do exactly what she did ......mental note , bring lawyers , financial advisor ,
with me and run like heck after talking to the lottery officials .......
The people who lives in states where you've to announce your name , and anonymous do
exactly what she did .........I bet the media will be camped at her house ......
You would move out of your trailer with the tin roof and get a house. (I hope)
So far it looks like they are doing all the right things. I am sure her legal representatives have advised on security issues and have taken the necessary steps.
who cares if they are camped at her house? If she's smart, which I feel she is, she's most likely packed up and never going back there again. That's most likely why it took her two weeks to claim, she was moving her stuff out of there.
prolly will leave my house for a trailer.
Sounds like she should have done the "right things" a long time ago......
Does the son also live in a trailer with a tin roof?
Oh that right.... We all look forward to the day we move to an obama supplied trailer and never have to pay ANY bills EVER again............
OK, thanks Whitey,
I'll have to try it, did'nt know you could do anything w/out being a member.
Good idea, I'll use Ronnie316's pic so people will show up at his balcony.
I guess I was shocked because she didn't have to be at the conferences , I thought you had too .
Guess not . So after the lawyers , etcc all had the ticket check and spoke about other things .
They just hurried and rush out of the building .........I read years ago , the media will hurt you
down until they get an interview .......
I guess that comes w/ an obomaphone and other obamaappliances.
Congrats to gloria and her son on winning the powerball record jackpot. Now spend that money and have fun.-weshar75
Oh yes, Magic jack and Ronco are both slated for government acquisition.
This little baby can feed a family of 8 with ease.......
Congratulations Ms. McKinzie on your wonderful luck.I hope you live out your retirement years in the style you've always dreamed about.
no. The media will look for you for about one or two weeks then the story is too old and they move on to something more buzz worthy, like Kim Kardashian's next publicity stunt or Justin Bieber's latest single.
She won with a single QP ticket and Thrifty is still beside himself that he was NOT the winner.....
Winner of record $590.5 million Powerball lottery jackpot announced
2 members gave this topic an average rating of 3 out of 5
one star the article... what a poor sport. There's always another jackpot buddy.
Congratulations to her!!!! I'm glad to see she had her legal and financial reps with her. That was smart. Maybe a family member belongs to LP?
I seen a picture of the winner , there were media following her
all the way to a vehicle with lawyers , son , etccc ..
Congrat to the lottery winner ......
He or she is not mad, he or she is sick! Very ill. He/She probably isn't even eating. Now, if that person is rich then it doesn't matter, but if that person is poor then it's terrible, horrible news. The person is probably going to be bitter for the rest of his life like a family friend who didn't play her MM numbers years ago and on that night the numbers came out. A man my mother knew back in New Orleans also didn't play his PB numbers on the night they came out. On "Inside Edition" a woman played her numbers on Wednesday, but not on Saturday when the winnings numbers for the 590 mill came out. She would've been the second winner. These folks have worse luck than me. I cannot win anything beyond 100 dollars, but I never was close to winning millions. NEVER EVER.
My stepdad said the winner was probably going to be Tweety bird's grandmother.
The front page of MSN has a picture of her.
oops ... question on the ratings. I wanted to give it a 5 but accidentally hit 1. Any way to change the rating once we rate it?
How would you feel if the winner was 18 years old?
She looks like a spry 84 year old and I like her sunglasses!
No changes, but we understand. Besides Thrifty will enjoy your company.
Being 84, is she the oldest lottery winner?
If she is, she has broken 2 records. Largest jackpot for a single ticket and being the oldest winner.
Thanks for the reply
For the record, Duckman gives this a 5 star rating *****
She does not look happy to be in the spotlight.
I like her sunglasses too.
Only state I know of where you HAVE TO do the press conference is New York, no conference no money.
Maybe there are others states with the same rules.
I think the ones with the plastic nose and mustache would have worked much BETTER.
I think that's a good rule. Win big = Take the spot light.
that guy saying you want me to hold your purse,
I think I will have to go to Ancestry Dot Com to see if I am related to her in some way !!
Ok Ms. Mackenzie, here is the most expensive listing in Zephyrhills, FL. Go get yourself one, girl!!
4bd/5ba, 5,000 sq ft, 1.28 acres, built in 2008.
Price: $1.75M
All common random number generators are nothing but a complicated mathematical formula that appears to generate random numbers, but since it's a formula, it's really generating a long pattern of numbers that eventually repeats. That's why they are also called psuedo-random number generators — because they are not truly random.
The term "seed" refers to the starting number the formula uses to generate the random numbers. By using the computer's internal timeclock, which counts in milliseconds, it ensures that each time the RNG is run, it will use a different starting point in the formula, which helps to minimize the patterns in the numbers generated.
These kinds of RNGs are found is just about every programming language and in many consumer software packages, such as Microsoft Excel. They are good for generating random numbers very quickly, and when properly seeded, will generate a fairly random sequence of numbers.
On a positive note, perhaps he was wishing it had rolled over just one more time?