Washington Boeing Employee Bought Winning Powerball Ticket Once Jackpot Reached $747 Million

A Washington woman who works at Boeing has been identified as the winner of a Powerball jackpot after purchasing a ticket once the jackpot reached $747 million.

Becky Bell, a Boeing employee from Auburn, Washington, said she “had to buy one more ticket” on February 5 after she saw a sign at a local grocery store indicating the Powerball jackpot had reached $747 million, “747” being the number of one of the airplane manufacturer’s most well-known models, KING 5 reported.

This coincidence was doubly significant because the company had recently shipped its final 747 now that the model has been phased out in favor of more fuel-efficient models, as the Associated Press reported.

The jackpot had reached $754.6 million by the time numbers were drawn, KING 5 reported.

Bell recalled that she didn’t realize she had won until the day after the drawing and even put off checking her numbers after she learned the winning ticket had been sold in her town, per the AP: 

The morning after the drawing, she saw a news story about the winning ticket being sold in Auburn and thought, “That could be me,” she said. But she didn’t immediately have time to check her numbers before a 6:20 a.m. meeting.

…

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

KING 5 reported Bell claimed her winnings on Tuesday and opted for a lump sum of $309 million. The outlet noted she has accelerated her retirement plans by a few months, from June to the end of March, and intends to divide her winnings among her family. 

Fred Meyer, the grocery store that sold the ticket, has donated its $50,000 bonus to a local food bank, per KING 5.

My Northwest noted Bell’s winning Powerball ticket is the second one to be in the state. In 2014, the winning ticket for $90 million jackpot was sold in Washington — also in the city of Auburn.