Lottery bonanza as Powerball jackpot soars to $550m and Megamillions prize hits $418m

One lucky winner scooped $2million in Florida, while winners in California, Florida, North Carolina, New York and Oregon matched five numbers to snatch $1million each.

But the jackpot was left to roll over after no tickets matched every number drawn.

Meanwhile, the Mega Millions jackpot reached a staggering $418m after its prize money also rolled over when no matching tickets were purchased.

The next Mega Millions draw is Friday at 11pm ET, while the next Powerball lottery will be drawn on Saturday at 11pm ET.

This is only the second time in history and Megamillions have offered such gargantuan prizes at the same time.

Ricardo Martinez, a clerk from Charlotte, North Carolina, revealed he is hoping to scoop a jackpot this weekend.

He told local TV station WSCO: “I’d go on vacation for the rest of my life.”

Others, like retired teacher Sheila Brooks, said they would use the money for essentials.

She told local news: “I have my two sons, and between the three of us, we barely make it.”

The Powerball draw broke world records in 2016 as it offered a $1.5bn prize, which was eventually split between three lucky punters.

While Mavis Wanczyk, a health centre worker from Massachusetts, , in which she won $758m (£592m).

She quit her job of 32 years after the huge prize, which was the single biggest lottery jackpot in history.

She said the first thing she was going to do was “just sit back and relax”.

The owner of the store where Mavis bought her golden ticket said he planned to donate to charity the £40,000 vendor’s prize that he was set to receive.