What would you do with hundreds of millions — or even a billion dollars — overnight? Some winners bought mansions and went on national TV. Others hid their tickets in a safe for weeks. A few lost everything. Here are the 16 biggest lottery winners of all time and what their lives look like today.
16. Brian McCarthy — $17 Million Mega Millions (2011)
At just 25 years old, Brian McCarthy from McLean, Virginia checked his Mega Millions ticket and found he'd won $17 million — one of the largest prizes in Virginia history at the time. He quit his job at Pepsi, bought a new car, traveled to Ireland, and quietly donated to local charities. Then he essentially vanished. McCarthy remains completely off the radar today, one of the more private winners on this list.
15. Gloria McKenzie — $590.5 Million Powerball (2013)
An 84-year-old widow from Florida, Gloria McKenzie won $590.5 million after a stranger let her cut in line at the ticket counter — a small act of kindness that changed everything. She took the $370 million lump sum and quietly donated $2 million to restore her hometown school's roof. The fortune wasn't without complications: in 2019 she sued her own son over alleged mismanagement of her wealth. McKenzie passed away in 2021 at age 92, leaving behind both a remarkable story and a legacy of generosity.
14. Theodore "Tio" Strike — $1.765 Billion Powerball (2023)
Retired UPS worker Theodore Strike from California won one of the largest Powerball jackpots ever recorded in October 2023. His response? He kept driving his old truck. Friends say he barely changed his daily routine, living quietly in Frasier Park with family. In a world of lottery excess, Strike may be the most grounded winner on this list.
13. Mavis Wanczyk — $758.7 Million Powerball (2017)
Hospital worker Mavis Wanczyk bought a Powerball ticket on her way home from work in Massachusetts and woke up the next morning as the sole winner of the largest single-ticket jackpot in U.S. history at the time. She took the $480 million lump sum and told reporters with zero hesitation: "I will not be going back to work." She's kept that promise — Wanczyk has been completely out of the public eye ever since, though her name has been widely misused by lottery scammers.
12. Becky Bell — $754.6 Million Powerball (2016)
Becky Bell from Washington State bought her winning Powerball ticket while boarding a Boeing 747 — an omen, as it turned out. Her $754.6 million jackpot was one of the largest at the time. She quit her job, took the lump sum, and largely disappeared from public life. Bell now focuses on family and charitable giving, far from media attention.
11. Chang "Charlie" Siphon — $1.3 Billion Powerball (2024)
Charlie Siphon's story is one of the most remarkable on this list. A Laotian immigrant living in Portland, Oregon, he had spent nearly eight years battling cancer and living on disability when he pooled money with a friend to buy more than 20 Powerball tickets. He won. His share of the $1.3 billion jackpot came to a $422 million lump sum. Charlie used the windfall to secure his family's future and continued his cancer treatment — staying grounded despite the life-altering win.
10. Edwin Castro — $2.04 Billion Powerball (2022)
Edwin Castro holds the record: the largest lottery jackpot ever won. His $2.04 billion Powerball prize — with a $997 million lump sum — made international headlines in 2022. Castro moved fast, buying a $47 million Los Angeles mansion among other luxury properties. The windfall wasn't without controversy: lawsuits claimed his ticket was stolen, and one of his homes was later destroyed in the 2025 California wildfires. Castro remains extremely wealthy, heavily invested in high-end real estate.
9. John and Lisa Robinson — $1.586 Billion Powerball (2016)
The Tennessee couple became one of three winners of the historic $1.586 billion Powerball jackpot in January 2016. Their $327 million lump sum share made headlines immediately — they appeared on NBC's Today Show the very morning after the draw. They said they'd keep life simple. Then they bought a $6.2 million estate with 320 acres, a private lake, and a movie theater. Today they live privately, away from cameras.
8. Manuel Franco — $768.4 Million Powerball (2019)
At 24 years old, Manuel Franco from Wisconsin won $768.4 million and took home a $477 million lump sum. He became known almost immediately for handing out $200 gift cards to neighbors and strangers. Then, like many on this list, he quietly stepped back from public life. Franco still lives in Wisconsin and keeps a deliberately low profile.
7. Jack Whittaker — $314.9 Million Powerball (2002)
West Virginia businessman Jack Whittaker's story is perhaps the most cautionary on this list. He won $314.9 million and took a $170 million lump sum — a dream by any measure. But it unraveled fast. Robberies, lawsuits, and personal tragedy followed, including the devastating drug overdose death of his granddaughter. Whittaker later said winning the lottery may have been a curse. He passed away in 2020, leaving behind a story that lottery players still reference as a warning.
6. Colin and Chris Weir — £161 Million EuroMillions (2011)
The Scottish couple won £161 million in EuroMillions and became known less for what they spent and more for what they gave away. Their charitable donations were enormous — they funded causes ranging from Scottish independence campaigns to their favorite soccer club. Colin passed away in 2019 at 71. Chris continues their philanthropic work today, honoring the vision they shared together.
5. Cynthia Stafford — $112 Million Mega Millions (2007)
Single mother Cynthia Stafford from Los Angeles famously visualized winning $112 million for years before it happened — and then it did. She took a $67 million lump sum and invested in businesses and film projects. By 2016, she had filed for bankruptcy. Stafford now works as a motivational speaker, teaching visualization and resilience — proof that the money's story doesn't always end where it begins.
4. Julie Leach — $310.5 Million Powerball (2015)
Julie Leach was a fiberglass factory supervisor in Michigan, buying a Powerball ticket during a late-night McDonald's break when she won $310.5 million. She took the $197.4 million lump sum and quit her job with no hesitation — her words for it were not flattering. Leach keeps a quiet life in Michigan today, focused on family rather than headlines.
3. Lerynne West — $343.9 Million Powerball (2018)
Iowa winner Lerynne West claimed her $343.9 million Powerball jackpot and did something unusual: she gave huge portions of it away. She founded the Callum Foundation, focused on children with rare diseases, and has continued donating millions to charities since her win. West lives quietly in Iowa, about as far from the lottery winner stereotype as you can get.
2. Richard Wahl — $533 Million Mega Millions (2018)
New Jersey production manager Richard Wahl won $533 million in Mega Millions — and then didn't tell anyone for weeks. He locked the ticket in a safe, took his time, and quietly processed what had happened before claiming the prize. After stepping forward and quitting his job, he retreated entirely from public life. Wahl remains one of the most disciplined winners on record.
1. Robert Bailey — $343.9 Million Powerball (2018)
Retired government worker Robert Bailey from New York won his share of a $687.8 million Powerball jackpot — and then forgot about it. The winning ticket sat in his jacket pocket for weeks before he realized what he had. He eventually claimed the $343.9 million lump sum, donated to community causes, and settled into a quiet retirement. His story is the ultimate reminder that fortune doesn't always arrive with fanfare.
What Do the Biggest Winners Have in Common?
Looking across all 16 stories, a few patterns stand out. The winners who fared best — mentally, financially, personally — are almost universally the ones who went quiet fast. Privacy, patience, and giving back appear far more often in the "thriving today" column than mansions and media appearances. The ones who struggled tended to move too publicly, too fast.
Whether you're playing Powerball, Mega Millions, or just dreaming — the numbers are one thing. What you do the morning after is everything.
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