Largest Lottery Jackpots in US History
Every jackpot over $700 million ever won in the United States — with cash values and after-tax estimates.
Updated April 2026
Quick Answer
The largest lottery jackpot ever won was the $2.04 billion Powerball on November 7, 2022, won by a single ticket in California. The second-largest is the $1.765 billion Powerball from October 2023, also won in California.
Top 10 Largest US Lottery Jackpots Ever
| # | Game | Jackpot | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Powerball | $2.04B | Nov 7, 2022 |
| 2 | Powerball | $1.765B | Oct 11, 2023 |
| 3 | Mega Millions | $1.602B | Aug 8, 2023 |
| 4 | Mega Millions | $1.537B | Oct 23, 2018 |
| 5 | Powerball | $1.586B | Jan 13, 2016 |
| 6 | Mega Millions | $1.35B | Jan 13, 2023 |
| 7 | Mega Millions | $1.337B | Jul 29, 2022 |
| 8 | Powerball | $1.08B | Jul 19, 2023 |
| 9 | Mega Millions | $1.05B | Jan 22, 2021 |
| 10 | Powerball | $768.4M | Mar 27, 2019 |
Cash option values are pre-tax. All figures in USD.
The $2.04 Billion Powerball (November 2022)
The November 7, 2022 Powerball drawing produced the largest lottery jackpot in world history at $2.04 billion. After 40 consecutive rollovers stretching from August 3, 2022, the jackpot had grown to an unprecedented level. The winning ticket was sold at Joe's Service Center in Altadena, California.
The winner opted for the lump-sum cash option of approximately $997.6 million before taxes. California does not tax lottery winnings at the state level, so after the 37% federal tax, the estimated take-home was approximately $628 million.
Why Jackpots Have Grown So Large
Lottery jackpots have increased in scale since 2012 (Powerball) and 2013 (Mega Millions) when both games changed their formats to expand the odds pool. Powerball moved from 5/59 + 1/39 to 5/69 + 1/26 in October 2015, making jackpot wins rarer and allowing longer rollover streaks. The harder it is to win, the longer jackpots accumulate — and the higher the eventual prize.
The result: jackpots that previously peaked around $500–700 million now regularly exceed $1 billion. The current jackpot starting amount for both Powerball and Mega Millions is $20 million, but rollovers can push prizes to 10–100× that level within weeks during a long drought.
How Much Do Jackpot Winners Actually Receive?
The advertised jackpot is the annuity value — the total paid out over 30 annual installments. The immediate cash lump-sum option is approximately 60% of the annuity value. From there, federal income tax takes another 37% for the top bracket. State taxes range from 0% (California, Florida, Texas) to 10.9% (New York).
For the record $2.04 billion jackpot, a winner in California ultimately kept about 31% of the headline number after taxes. In New York, the same prize would have yielded roughly 24% of the advertised amount.
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What is the largest lottery jackpot ever won?
The largest lottery jackpot ever won was the $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot on November 7, 2022 — won by a single ticket sold in Altadena, California. The winner chose the cash lump-sum option of approximately $997.6 million before taxes, keeping roughly $628 million after federal taxes (California has no state lottery tax).
What is the largest Mega Millions jackpot ever?
The largest Mega Millions jackpot ever won was $1.602 billion on August 8, 2023. A single winning ticket was sold in Neptune Beach, Florida. The winner chose the lump sum of approximately $794.2 million before taxes. Florida has no state income tax on lottery winnings.
Has anyone ever won both Powerball and Mega Millions?
It is theoretically possible — both are independently run by the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) and tickets are sold separately. No single person is publicly known to have won jackpots in both games, but multiple people have won smaller prizes in both. The combined odds of winning both jackpots would be approximately 1 in 88 quadrillion.
What state has had the most big lottery winners?
California has been home to several of the largest US lottery wins, including the $2.04 billion Powerball (2022) and the $1.586 billion Powerball (2016). Florida and New Jersey also appear frequently. States with large populations naturally produce more winning tickets due to higher ticket sales volume.
How much do lottery jackpot winners actually take home?
A Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot winner choosing the lump sum receives approximately 60% of the advertised jackpot. After the 37% federal income tax, the net is roughly 38% of the headline number. State taxes vary from 0% (Florida, California, Texas) to 10.9% (New York), further reducing the take-home. For a $1 billion jackpot, a New York winner might keep around $240 million.