Top 10 Lottery Jackpots in History Ahead of $1.15 Billion Draw
December 27, 2024
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With the Mega Millions jackpot having surpassed $1 billion, here are some of the biggest lottery jackpots in history.
Why It Matters
According to The Associated Press (AP), Friday’s $1.15 billion jackpot could potentially be the fifth largest in history.
It said the chances of claiming it are slim, however, with the odds of winning being just 1 in 302,575,350.
A sign shows the 1.15 billion dollar Mega Millions lottery jackpot on December 26, 2024 in Miami, Florida. The Mega Millions jackpot has climbed to $1.15 billion ahead of Friday’s drawing, making it the fifth-largest… A sign shows the 1.15 billion dollar Mega Millions lottery jackpot on December 26, 2024 in Miami, Florida. The Mega Millions jackpot has climbed to $1.15 billion ahead of Friday’s drawing, making it the fifth-largest prize in the game’s history and the largest prize ever offered in the month of December.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Per AP, lotteries were common in America’s early history, initially helping to pay for its revolution against the British.
They fell out of favor in the 1800s but saw a resurgence in the 1960s as states began to legalize them as a way to address financial shortfalls without raising taxes.
The outlet reported that lottery officials have reduced the odds of winning by increasing the number pool from which players must choose. This change has made the games more difficult to win, causing prize payouts to roll over and grow into even larger jackpots.
What To Know
Below are the largest jackpots won in the U.S., as well as in which state the winning tickets were sold, per AP.
$2.04 billion, Powerball, Nov. 7, 2022 (one ticket, from California)
$1.765 billion, Powerball, Oct. 11, 2023 (one ticket, from California)
$1.602 billion, Mega Millions, Aug. 8, 2023 (one ticket, from Florida)
$1.537 billion, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018 (one ticket, from South Carolina)
$1.348 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 13, 2023 (one ticket, from Maine)
$1.337 billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022 (one ticket, from Illinois)
$1.326 billion, Powerball, April 7, 2024 (one ticket, from Oregon)
$1.13 billion, Mega Millions, March 26, 2024 (one ticket, from New Jersey)
$1.08 billion, Powerball, July 19, 2023 (one ticket, from California)
What People Are Saying
Joshua Johnston, lead director for the Mega Millions Consortium, in a press release: “We know that many people will likely receive tickets to Friday’s drawing as holiday gifts, and what a gift that would turn out to be if you ended up with a ticket worth a $1.15 billion jackpot.”
Johnston also said: “I can’t think of a better way to celebrate the holidays—whether Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, the Winter Solstice, or any other way people choose to celebrate the season—than by helping fulfill the dreams that come with a prize like this and prizes that will be won at all levels of the game.”
What Happens Next
The next drawing will be held at 11 p.m. ET on December 27.
This article contains additional reporting from The Associated Press.
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