Boeing Worker On Cloud Nine After Jetting Off With Powerball Jackpot

The final figure ended up being even higher at $754.7 million following strong ticket sales, but it was the estimated amount which prompted her to buy one more ticket. It turned out to be a perfect match for the winning numbers - 5, 11, 22, 23 and 69, plus the Powerball of 7.

It was only Washington’s second jackpot win, and the fifth-largest of all time. Around a month on, Bell has come forward to claim her money.

She declined to take part in media interviews, but it was revealed that she had taken the cash option of $407.2 million. After taxes, this worked out at $309.4 million.

The Washington Lottery also released a few more details about Bell’s story, including her reaction to finally realizing that she was a winner.

“I was working virtually the next day and getting ready for my 6:20 am meeting, and I scrolled over the news widget, and it popped up and I saw a story about the winning ticket being sold in Auburn and thought, 'That could be me’," Bell recalled. 

"After my meeting, I scanned my first ticket and it wasn't a winner. Then I scanned the second ticket and it said 'Winning ticket. Claim at the Lottery Office.' So, I knew I had won at least $600, which was pretty exciting.

“I've never won more than $20 in my life, so you can imagine my shock when I realized what had just happened. I just broke down and cried.

“The funny thing was my mom misheard me when I told her how much I won. "She said 'Seven million...that's great, honey. Everyone can have a million.' Then I had to say, 'No, mom, seven HUNDRED million dollars. Pretty soon, everyone was crying.”

Bell’s Quick Pick ticket was purchased at the Fred Meyer on Auburn Way N in Auburn, which has received a $50,000 seller’s bonus. The store has already announced that it will be giving the entire sum to the Auburn Food Bank to help the Zero Hunger campaign.

Bell, meanwhile, is set to bring forward her retirement from her job as a Supply Chain Analyst with Boeing. She had already signaled her intention to leave, but is committed to training others first so that she does not leave the company ‘in the lurch’.

Prior to Bell’s big win, the Powerball jackpot had not been won since November 19. A fortnight before that, a Californian player had won a record $2.04 billion.

There’s a multimillion-dollar jackpot on offer three times a week in Powerball, so make sure to always check the winning numbers after every draw if you have played the game.