Since 1992, Americans show up and show out for one of the biggest lottery games in the world. The Powerball and Mega Millions jackpot draws unprecedented economic turnout. Every year, Americans spend over $100 billion on lottery tickets – all for a chance to strike gold and become one of the wealthiest people in the country!
Sold by gas stations and convenience stores, Powerball and Mega Millions tickets are sold for a couple bucks each. Players can let a computer decide their numbers or pick their own, but either way, just 6 randomly drawn numbers determine who becomes a millionaire.
If no one has the numbers? Then the jackpot just keeps getting bigger, and bigger, and bigger… until we end up with record-breaking jackpots! Here are the top 10 largest Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots in U.S. history.
10. $1.326 billion
Payout: $621 million
Date: April 7, 2024
Location: Oregon
The tenth largest Powerball win was discovered to be from a Plaid Pantry convenience store in Northeast Portland, Oregon. The six numbers – 22, 27, 44, 52, 69, and Red Powerball 9 – made three people millionaires overnight.
Cheng and Duanpen Saephan, along with their friend Laiza Chao, claimed the prize and agreed to split it 50/50. Cheng, said to be battling cancer for 8 years, ending up using the money to find better doctors, buy a lime green lamborghini, and go on a trip to Vegas.
9. $1.337 billion
Payout: $780.5 million
Date: July 29, 2022
Location: Illinois
Des Plaines, Illinois saw a record-breaking Mega Millions win back in 2022. At $1.337 billion, this jackpot was once the third largest in U.S. lottery history. Two winners stepped forward to claim a one-time lump sum prize of $780.5 million.
The winners, like most, decided to remain anonymous. We know that the ticket was sold at a Speedway gas station, who received a $500k bonus for selling the life-changing ticket.
8. $1.350 billion
Payout: $724.6 million
Date: January 13, 2023
Location: Maine
While most people associate Friday the 13 with bad luck, one person in Maine found it to be the best day of the year! January 13, 2023, one unknown person became the recipient of the first ever Mega Millions win for Maine. Hometown Gas & Grill in Lebanon had the honor of selling the winning tickets.
7. $1.537 billion
Payout: $877.8 million
Date: October 23, 2018
Location: South Carolina
The seventh largest jackpot in American history went to a resident of South Carolina who chose to remain anonymous. Next to nothing is known about the winner, but lottery officials shared that the lucky person marveled at their luck the day they purchased the ticket.
Apparently, while in line to buy their ticket, they let the person behind them go first to buy their lottery ticket. One act of kindness led to the winner becoming richer than their wildest dreams!
6. $1.586 billion
Payout: $327.8 million
Date: January 13, 2016
Location: California, Florida, Tennessee
At $1.586 billion, this record-breaking jackpot was the first to ever surpass $1 billion. Unfortunately, the winners had to be happy with sharing their fortune. A winning ticket was purchased at a 7-Eleven in Chino Hills, California, a Publix in Melbourne Beach, Florida, and a Naifeh's Food Market in Munford, Tennessee. Each player was left with $327.8 million.
The Californian winners, Marvin and Mae Acosta, took 6 months to consult with financial advisors before stepping forward to claim their money. They refused to appear on camera, but publicly stated they were grateful to be the winners of such a rare prize and would be donating nearly all of it to charity!
5. $1.602 billion
Payout: $794.2 million
Date: August 8, 2023
Location: Florida
13, 19, 20, 32, 33, and Mega Ball 14. Those were the 6 numbers on the winning ticket sold at a Publix in Neptune Beach, Florida that made one person very, very happy. Wanting to remain anonymous, the person created a business, called Saltines Holdings LLC, to circumvent a Florida law requiring lottery winners to identify themselves publicly.
Little is known about the winner since they declined to comment publicly and their identity is hidden. Either way, they chose to take home a life-changing lump sum of $794.2 million. The Publix the ticket was bought at received $1 million from the state for selling the winning ticket.
4. $1.765 billion
Payout: $774.1 million
Date: October 11, 2023
Location: California
The $1.765 billion Powerball lottery was claimed by Theodorus Struyck, a resident of Frazier Park, California. Struyck, along with a group of anonymous winners who bought the same ticket, accepted the $774.1 million payout. The representative was described as a man who loves his grandchildren and going fishing.
The lucky ticket was sold at Midway Market and Liquor. The owners of the store were granted a whopping $1 million sellers bonus! The co-owner stated he would use the money to help his children pay for college.
3. $1.787 billion
Payout: $410.3 million
Date: September 6, 2025
Location: Missouri and Texas
Two lucky winners in Missouri and Texas won the third highest Powerball win in history, both opting for the cash option and splitting the prize evenly. Each winner chose to remain anonymous. The Missouri player stated, via spokesperson, he was planning to take time off of work and spend time with his wife.
In St. Louis, Missouri, a QuikTrip sold one of the winning tickets. A couple states away, Big’s 103 gas station in Fredericksburg, Texas sold the second ticket and is eligible for a $250,000 seller’s bonus.
2. $1.817 billion
Payout: $834.9 million
Date: December 24, 2025
Location: Arkansas
The second largest payout in lottery history came just in time for the holidays. On Christmas Eve, 2025, the winning ticket hailed from Cabot, Arkansas – giving Santa a run for his money.
While the winner hasn’t stepped forward yet, the ticket is known to have been sold at a Murphy USA gas station. The winning numbers were 4, 25, 31, 52 and 59, with a Powerball of 19.
1. $2.04 billion
Payout: $997.6 million
Date: November 7, 2022
Location: California
The largest Powerball winner in history is Edwin Castro, a resident of Altadena, California. He claimed his prize on February 14 – a sweet Valentine’s Day gift. Castro went from living in a 2 bedroom apartment to owning several multi-million dollar homes, a collection of Porsches, and round-the-clock security.
Castro bought the record-breaking ticket at a small store in his area. Joe Chahayed, owner of Joe’s Service Center, received a $1 million retailer bonus for selling the winning ticket. With 5 children and 11 grandchildren, Chahayed stated he would use the money to help his family.
