The biggest lottery jackpots in history
The world's ten biggest jackpots were all won in the United States, and half were drawn since 2023.
Read the rankingLatest reports
View all articles →Powerball vs. Mega Millions: how America's biggest lotteries work
Two multistate lotteries account for every prize over US$1 billion ever paid worldwide. The reason lies in their design.
BrazilMega da Virada 2025: Brazil's first billion-real jackpot
Draw 2,955 paid R$1.09 billion, almost twice the previous record, after a 12-hour delay.
EuropeEuroMillions, SuperEnalotto and El Gordo: European records
Smaller jackpots than in the US, but with unusual rules: a fixed cap, a prize shared by 90 syndicate members, and the world's largest single-day prize distribution.
HistorySix centuries of draws: a brief history of lotteries
From 15th-century Flemish towns to Mega-Sena, lotteries have long served one purpose: raising public funds without creating a new tax.
MathematicsWhy winning the lottery is so difficult: the math explained
Odds of one in 50 million are hard to picture. We compare major lotteries and explain the probabilities in everyday terms.
BehaviorWhat happens to lottery winners? What the research says
The claim that most winners go bankrupt has been repeated for decades. Stronger research tells a different story.
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The 10 largest prizes ever paid
Advertised amount, in US dollars- 01US$2.04 billion
- 02US$ 1,817 bi
- 03US$ 1,787 bi
- 04US$ 1,765 bi
- 05US$ 1,602 bi
- 06US$ 1,586 bi
- 07US$ 1,537 bi
- 08US$ 1,348 bi
- 09US$ 1,337 bi
- 10US$ 1,326 bi
Advertised figures are nominal amounts paid over 30 installments. The lump sum is much smaller: for the 2025 US$1.817 billion prize, it was US$834.9 million before taxes.
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Records by region
Powerball, November 7, 2022. A single ticket.
SuperEnalotto, February 2023. Shared among 90 stakes.
Mega da Virada 2025. Six tickets won R$181.9 million each.