Lottery games have captured the imagination of people all around the world for centuries. The promise of a life-altering sum of money for the price of a small ticket is irresistible to many. Over the years, jackpots have reached staggering amounts, changing the lives of winners forever.
Here are some of the biggest lottery jackpots ever won:
1. $1.586 Billion – Powerball (2016)
In January 2016, the Powerball jackpot reached a mind-blowing $1.586 billion. This monumental prize was split among three winning tickets. The lucky ticket holders hailed from California, Florida, and Tennessee. Each winner chose the lump-sum pre-tax payment of $327.8 million.
2. $1.537 Billion – Mega Millions (2018)
Coming close to the record, Mega Millions announced in October 2018 that a single ticket had won $1.537 billion. The ticket was purchased in South Carolina, and the winner remained anonymous. It remains the world’s largest lottery prize ever won on a single ticket.
3. $1.05 Billion – Mega Millions (2021)
In January 2021, a single Mega Millions ticket won a staggering $1.05 billion jackpot. The ticket was sold in Michigan. The winners, a four-member lottery club, chose the lump-sum option, amounting to about $776 million before taxes.
4. $768.4 Million – Powerball (2019)
Wisconsin was the lucky state where a single ticket won $768.4 million in March 2019. The winner was a 24-year-old man who chose the lump-sum cash option of $477 million.
5. $758.7 Million – Powerball (2017)
In August 2017, a ticket sold in Massachusetts won the Powerball jackpot of $758.7 million. The winner, a hospital worker, chose the lump-sum payment of $480.5 million before taxes.
6. $687.8 Million – Powerball (2018)
October 2018 saw two winning tickets split a Powerball jackpot of $687.8 million. The winners hailed from Iowa and New York, both opting for the lump sum, which amounted to $396.2 million before federal taxes.
7. $656 Million – Mega Millions (2012)
In March 2012, Mega Millions made headlines when three tickets from Illinois, Kansas, and Maryland shared a whopping $656 million jackpot. Each of the winners chose the cash option, which was about $158 million before taxes.
8. $648 Million – Mega Millions (2013)
A year later, in December 2013, two tickets, one from California and one from Georgia, split the Mega Millions jackpot of $648 million. Both winners opted for the cash option, totaling around $173.8 million each before taxes.
9. $590.5 Million – Powerball (2013)
Florida saw its largest lottery prize in May 2013 when an 84-year-old woman claimed a Powerball jackpot of $590.5 million. Opting for the lump sum, she walked away with $370.9 million before taxes.
10. $587.5 Million – Powerball (2012)
Two winners from Arizona and Missouri shared the Powerball jackpot of $587.5 million in November 2012. Both chose the cash payment option, which was about $192.4 million each before federal taxes.
11. $564.1 Million – Powerball (2015)
In February 2015, the Powerball jackpot reached $564.1 million and was shared among three winning tickets from North Carolina, Puerto Rico, and Texas.
12. $543 Million – Mega Millions (2018)
In July 2018, a group of coworkers from California won the Mega Millions jackpot of $543 million. They opted for the cash option, splitting a prize of $320.5 million before federal taxes.
13. $536 Million – Mega Millions (2016)
July 2016 saw a single ticket in Indiana win the Mega Millions jackpot of $536 million. The winner chose the cash option, amounting to $378 million before taxes.
14. $533 Million – Mega Millions (2018)
New Jersey was home to a $533 million Mega Millions jackpot winner in March 2018. The winner opted for the cash lump-sum of $324.6 million before federal taxes.
15. $487 Million – Powerball (2016)
A family from New Hampshire won the Powerball jackpot of $487 million in July 2016. They chose the cash option, taking home $341.7 million before taxes.
Conclusion
The allure of lotteries lies not just in the prospect of winning, but also in the dreams they inspire. These massive jackpots represent life-changing moments for the winners. They’ve made headlines, sparked countless “what would you do” conversations, and continue to feed the hope that, with a bit of luck, anyone might join the ranks of the world’s most fortunate lottery winners.
