Editorial · Worldwide
Biggest Lottery Jackpots of All Time
These are the largest verified Division 1 jackpots ever won across the lotteries tracked on this site, drawn from official lottery bodies and primary news sources.
The lottery jackpot landscape has changed dramatically since 2016. Faster rollover structures, larger player pools, and coordinated multi-state or multi-country prize pools have driven advertised jackpots to levels that would have seemed implausible a generation ago. The US Powerball's November 2022 draw — $2.04 billion to a single California ticket — remains the largest lottery prize ever awarded to one winner anywhere in the world.
EuroMillions, which pools players across nine European countries including Ireland and the UK, reached a permanent €250 million cap in December 2023. That ceiling has since been hit three times in 2025 alone — in Austria (March), Ireland (June), and France (August) — making what was once a once-in-a-decade figure now a recurring event. The largest jackpot ever claimed by a UK ticket holder remains the £195.7 million won anonymously on 19 July 2022, before the cap increase.
Australian lottery jackpots are structurally smaller than their US counterparts due to population size, but the local records are significant on a per-capita basis. Powerball Australia set a new all-time record on 1 February 2024, when a $200 million jackpot was split between a NSW couple and a Queensland woman — each receiving $100 million. Three months later, a single South Australian player won $150 million in the May 2024 draw, becoming the largest individual lottery winner in Australian history.
New Zealand's Lotto Powerball operates on a much tighter scale. The largest jackpot ever offered was NZ$55 million in November 2025, a 'must be won' draw that ended with three winners sharing the pool. Ireland's domestic Lotto game has a structural cap that keeps jackpots modest by international standards; the all-time record stands at €19.06 million, won by a family syndicate from County Mayo on 15 January 2022.
The entries below list the largest verified single-draw jackpots for each game covered on this site. Where a jackpot was split, the total pool (not per-winner amount) is listed, with split details noted. Figures reflect advertised jackpot values (annuity) except where the game pays only as a lump sum.
Top 13
| # | Game | Date | Jackpot | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | US Powerball | Mon 7 Nov 2022 | US$2.04 billion cash US$997.6 million | Single · California (Edwin Castro, Altadena — ticket sold at Joe's Service Center) |
| 2 | US Mega Millions | Tue 8 Aug 2023 | US$1.602 billion cash US$794.2 million | Single · Florida (claimed by Saltines Holdings LLC, ticket sold at Publix, Neptune Beach near Jacksonville; individual identity undisclosed) |
| 3 | US Mega Millions | Tue 23 Oct 2018 | US$1.537 billion cash US$877.8 million | Single · South Carolina (anonymous; ticket sold at KC Mart, Simpsonville) |
| 4 | US Powerball | Wed 13 Jan 2016 | US$1.586 billion cash US$983.5 million total; ~US$327.8M per winner after split | 3-way · California (Chino Hills), Florida (Melbourne Beach), Tennessee (Munford) — three separate tickets |
| 5 | EuroMillions UK | Tue 19 Jul 2022 | €230 million (£195.7 million) cash £195,707,000 lump sum | Single · United Kingdom (anonymous; ticket holder identity not disclosed) |
| 6 | EuroMillions Ireland | Tue 17 Jun 2025 | €250 million cash €250 million lump sum | Single · Ireland — Cork (family syndicate; ticket sold in Cork, identity not disclosed) |
| 7 | Powerball Australia | Thu 1 Feb 2024 | A$200 million cash A$100 million per winner | 2-way · New South Wales (couple from Singleton, Hunter Valley) and Queensland (woman from Hawthorne, Brisbane) — two separate tickets, each won A$100 million |
| 8 | Powerball Australia | Thu 23 May 2024 | A$150 million cash A$150 million lump sum | Single · South Australia (anonymous middle-aged man from Adelaide; ticket sold at OTR Drive Thru, Salisbury) |
| 9 | Oz Lotto | Tue 6 Nov 2012 | A$111.97 million cash A$27.99 million per winner | 4-way · Two tickets in Victoria (incl. an 80-member syndicate), one in NSW, one in Queensland |
| 10 | NZ Lotto Powerball | Sat 15 Nov 2025 | NZ$55 million cash NZ$18.39 million per winner | 3-way · Bay of Plenty (New World Kawerau), Canterbury (Pak'nSave Moorhouse, Christchurch), Auckland (MyLotto online) — three separate tickets |
| 11 | NZ Lotto Powerball | Sat 10 Aug 2024 | NZ$44.07 million cash NZ$44,066,667 lump sum | Single · Auckland (anonymous; ticket sold via MyLotto online platform) |
| 12 | Lotto Ireland | Sat 15 Jan 2022 | €19.06 million cash €19,060,800 lump sum | Single · County Mayo (family syndicate; ticket sold at Laura's XL store, Castlebar — quick-pick entry) |
| 13 | UK Lotto | Sat 9 Jan 2016 | £66 million cash £33 million per winner | 2-way · Scotland (David and Carol Martin, Hawick) and anonymous second ticket holder — two separate tickets, each won £33 million |
Largest lottery jackpot ever awarded worldwide. Castro chose the lump-sum cash option and claimed the prize on 14 February 2023. He declined to appear at the news conference.
Largest Mega Millions jackpot on record. Winner claimed via LLC to preserve anonymity under Florida law.
Single winning ticket. Winner remained anonymous under South Carolina law and claimed prize on 5 March 2019. At the time, the largest single-winner cash payout in US history.
Three-way split of a then-world-record jackpot. Each winning group received approximately $528.8 million annuity ($327.8 million cash after taxes). Subsequently surpassed by the 2022 Powerball draw.
Largest jackpot ever claimed by a UK National Lottery ticket. The jackpot had sat at the then-cap of €230 million for three consecutive draws before this ticket matched all numbers. Winning numbers: 06, 23, 27, 40, 41; Lucky Stars 02 and 12.
Ireland's largest-ever National Lottery win across any game. The first time a ticket in Ireland claimed EuroMillions at its new €250 million permanent cap, introduced December 2023.
Draw No. 1446. Largest jackpot ever drawn in Australian lottery history. Winning numbers: 1, 12, 23, 26, 33, 35; Powerball 10.
Draw No. 1462. Largest single-winner lottery prize in Australian history. The winner claimed the prize the morning after the draw and continued working. Winning numbers: 4, 8, 18, 28, 29, 34; Powerball 11.
All-time Division 1 record for Oz Lotto. The jackpot had been guaranteed at $100 million and rolled above that figure. Winning numbers: 2, 7, 8, 15, 29, 43; supplementaries 20 and 21.
Largest jackpot ever offered and won by Lotto New Zealand. Designated a 'must be won' draw once the Powerball pool reached NZ$50 million. Each winner received NZ$18,333,333 Powerball First Division plus NZ$55,556 Lotto First Division.
Largest single-ticket win in NZ Lotto Powerball history, equalling the prior record set in November 2016 also by an Auckland ticket (Draw 1593).
All-time record for the Irish Lotto game specifically (distinct from EuroMillions, which is also sold through the National Lottery). The jackpot had been rolling for approximately seven months. Winning numbers: 2, 9, 16, 30, 37, 40; bonus 23.
All-time record jackpot for the UK National Lottery Lotto game. Under rules then in effect, the prize capped at £50 million and then had to be won in the following draw; after rolling twice above the cap, the pool reached £66 million. The cap structure was subsequently revised.
- 1.US Powerball · US$2.04 billion (Mon 7 Nov 2022) Largest lottery jackpot ever awarded worldwide. Castro chose the lump-sum cash option and claimed the prize on 14 February 2023. He declined to appear at the news conference. Source ↗
- 2.US Mega Millions · US$1.602 billion (Tue 8 Aug 2023) Largest Mega Millions jackpot on record. Winner claimed via LLC to preserve anonymity under Florida law. Source ↗
- 3.US Mega Millions · US$1.537 billion (Tue 23 Oct 2018) Single winning ticket. Winner remained anonymous under South Carolina law and claimed prize on 5 March 2019. At the time, the largest single-winner cash payout in US history. Source ↗
- 4.US Powerball · US$1.586 billion (Wed 13 Jan 2016) Three-way split of a then-world-record jackpot. Each winning group received approximately $528.8 million annuity ($327.8 million cash after taxes). Subsequently surpassed by the 2022 Powerball draw. Source ↗
- 5.EuroMillions UK · €230 million (£195.7 million) (Tue 19 Jul 2022) Largest jackpot ever claimed by a UK National Lottery ticket. The jackpot had sat at the then-cap of €230 million for three consecutive draws before this ticket matched all numbers. Winning numbers: 06, 23, 27, 40, 41; Lucky Stars 02 and 12. Source ↗
- 6.EuroMillions Ireland · €250 million (Tue 17 Jun 2025) Ireland's largest-ever National Lottery win across any game. The first time a ticket in Ireland claimed EuroMillions at its new €250 million permanent cap, introduced December 2023. Source ↗
- 7.Powerball Australia · A$200 million (Thu 1 Feb 2024) Draw No. 1446. Largest jackpot ever drawn in Australian lottery history. Winning numbers: 1, 12, 23, 26, 33, 35; Powerball 10. Source ↗
- 8.Powerball Australia · A$150 million (Thu 23 May 2024) Draw No. 1462. Largest single-winner lottery prize in Australian history. The winner claimed the prize the morning after the draw and continued working. Winning numbers: 4, 8, 18, 28, 29, 34; Powerball 11. Source ↗
- 9.Oz Lotto · A$111.97 million (Tue 6 Nov 2012) All-time Division 1 record for Oz Lotto. The jackpot had been guaranteed at $100 million and rolled above that figure. Winning numbers: 2, 7, 8, 15, 29, 43; supplementaries 20 and 21. Source ↗
- 10.NZ Lotto Powerball · NZ$55 million (Sat 15 Nov 2025) Largest jackpot ever offered and won by Lotto New Zealand. Designated a 'must be won' draw once the Powerball pool reached NZ$50 million. Each winner received NZ$18,333,333 Powerball First Division plus NZ$55,556 Lotto First Division. Source ↗
- 11.NZ Lotto Powerball · NZ$44.07 million (Sat 10 Aug 2024) Largest single-ticket win in NZ Lotto Powerball history, equalling the prior record set in November 2016 also by an Auckland ticket (Draw 1593). Source ↗
- 12.Lotto Ireland · €19.06 million (Sat 15 Jan 2022) All-time record for the Irish Lotto game specifically (distinct from EuroMillions, which is also sold through the National Lottery). The jackpot had been rolling for approximately seven months. Winning numbers: 2, 9, 16, 30, 37, 40; bonus 23. Source ↗
- 13.UK Lotto · £66 million (Sat 9 Jan 2016) All-time record jackpot for the UK National Lottery Lotto game. Under rules then in effect, the prize capped at £50 million and then had to be won in the following draw; after rolling twice above the cap, the pool reached £66 million. The cap structure was subsequently revised. Source ↗
Editorial all-time records are sourced from operator press releases and contemporary reporting. For per-game DB rankings see the country records pages.