Lotteries have long been a source of excitement and anticipation for people, offering the dream of a life-changing fortune with the purchase of a simple ticket. While the odds are never in our favor, lottery players manage to win life-altering amounts of money every single year. In this blog, we explore the 10 biggest lottery jackpots ever won.
1. $2.04 Billion, Powerball®
The biggest jackpot ever won was a $2.04 billion Powerball win on Nov. 7, 2022. The winner was Edwin Castro of California, who chose to receive his prize in a single reduced lump sum of $997.6 million.
2. $1.586 Billion, Powerball
On Jan. 13, 2016, the second-largest Powerball jackpot in history was split between three tickets sold at a 7-Eleven in Chino Hills, California, Naifeh’s Food Mart in Munford, Tennessee, and a Publix grocery store in Melbourne Beach, Florida. The anonymous winners received a lump sum of $327.8 million.
3. $1.58 Billion, Mega Millions®
Aug. 8, 2023, witnessed the largest Mega Millions jackpot ever won — $1.58 billion. The fortunate ticket was sold at Publix in Neptune Beach, Florida. The cash option for the jackpot stood at an astonishing $983.5 million.
4. $1.537 Billion, Mega Millions
In Oct. 2018, an anonymous woman in Greenville, South Carolina, secured a record Mega Millions jackpot of $1.537 billion. She shared her winnings with local charities.
5. $1.35 Billion, Mega Millions
On Jan. 13, 2023, history was made when a lucky winner from Maine, who chose to remain anonymous, secured the $1.35 billion Mega Millions jackpot.
6. $1.337 Billion, Mega Millions
July 29, 2022, saw a life-changing moment for someone in Des Plaines, Illinois, as they purchased a winning Mega Millions ticket at a Café Speedway gas station worth $1.337 billion.
7. $1.08 Billion, Powerball
A single ticket holder from California hit the jackpot on July 19, 2023, claiming an impressive $1.08 billion Powerball prize.
8. $1.05 Billion, Mega Millions
Michigan became the epicenter of lottery excitement on Jan. 22, 2021, when one lucky ticket holder clinched a jaw-dropping $1.05 billion Mega Millions jackpot.
9. $768.4 Million, Powerball
Wisconsin joined the ranks of fortunate lottery winners on March 27, 2019, when a single ticket holder secured a whopping $768.4 million Powerball jackpot.
10. $758.7 Million, Powerball
On Aug. 13, 2017, a resident of Massachusetts experienced a windfall as they claimed the $758.7 million Powerball jackpot.
These odds-defying stories are anything but the norm, but they inspire us to believe in the possibility of life-altering moments and the thrill of fortune that accompanies playing the lottery.
References: What are the 10 largest US lottery jackpots ever won? | The 25 Biggest U.S. Lottery Jackpots of All Time
