In this article, we will discuss the 5 biggest lottery jackpots of all time. If you want to learn about similar lottery jackpots and read our analysis on the lottery industry, you can also take a look at 10 Biggest Lottery Jackpots Of All Time.
5. Powerball (March 27, 2019)
Number of Winning Tickets: 1
Cash Value: $477 Million
Jackpot: $768.4 Million
On March 27, 2019, a ticket in Wisconsin won the Powerball jackpot that was worth $768.4 million, one of the largest lottery jackpots of all time. The winning numbers were white balls 16, 20, 37, 44, 62, Powerball 12, and Power Play multiplier 3X. In addition to the winning jackpot ticket, over 5.4 million tickets won various prizes in the range of $4 and $2 million. There were seven tickets that matched all five white balls but missed the Powerball and won a $1 million prize. The cash value of the jackpot was estimated at $477 million.
4. Mega Millions (January 22, 2021)
Number of Winning Tickets: 1
Cash Value: $776.6 Million
Jackpot: $1.05 Billion
The fourth-largest lottery jackpot of all time was won on January 22, 2021, by a ticket in Michigan. The total cash prize of the jackpot was valued at $776.6 million. The winning numbers were 4, 26, 42, 50, and 60, and the Mega Ball was 24. According to Michigan’s lottery officials, the winning ticket was bought at a Kroger store in Novi, Michigan. This was a record-breaking jackpot for Michigan as prior to this, the largest cash prize won by a player from Michigan was valued at $337 million.
3. Mega Millions (July 29, 2022)
Number of Winning Tickets: 1
Cash Value: $780.5 Million
Jackpot: $1.33 Billion
On July 29, a lucky ticket holder from Illinois bagged a cash prize of $780.5 million after hitting the Mega Millions jackpot which had reached a value of $1.33 billion. The winning numbers for the jackpot were white balls 13, 36, 45, 57, and 67, and the gold Mega Ball 14. Apart from the jackpot winner, according to lottery officials, there were over 14.3 million winning tickets at the time of the drawing that had won various prizes across 9 prize tiers.
2. Mega Millions (October 23, 2018)
Number of Winning Tickets: 1
Cash Value: $877.8 Million
Jackpot: $1.53 Billion
One of the largest lottery jackpots of all time was won by a single ticket holder on October 23, 2018. The winning ticket holder was a woman from South Carolina who had pocketed a cash prize of an estimated $877.8 million and had hit a $1.53 billion jackpot. The winning numbers for the jackpot were 5, 28, 62, 65, and 70, and the gold Mega Ball 5. The winner chose to remain anonymous and decided to share her winnings with multiple charitable organizations including the Ronald McDonald House in Columbia, the Red Cross relief fund for victims of Alabama tornadoes, and the City of Simpsonville Art Center, among others.
1. Powerball (January 13, 2016)
Number of Winning Tickets: 3
Cash Value: $983.5 Million
Jackpot: $1.58 Billion
On January 13, 2016, the biggest jackpot of all time in the history of U.S. lottery games and U.S. Powerball games was won by 3 ticket holders that belonged to California, Florida, and Tennessee. The jackpot was valued at $1.58 billion and the cash prize was estimated at $983.5 million. The odds of winning the jackpot were 1 in 292 million, an extremely low probability of winning. However, the 3 ticket holders were in possession of the lucky numbers which were white balls 4, 8, 19, 27, and 34, and the Powerball 10, and were entitled to roughly $327.8 million each. According to lottery officials, the winning tickets were sold at a 7-Eleven store in Chino Hills, California, a Publix grocery in Melbourne Beach, Florida, and a Naifeh’s Food Mart in Munford, Tennessee.
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