The 10 biggest lottery jackpots ever won
Every one was advertised at $1.33 billion or more. None of the winners got that. Here is the cash each was offered, and what was left once the tax was paid.
| # | Jackpot | Cash value | Est. kept |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2.04BPowerball, November 2022 | $997.6M49% of it | $628.5M |
| 2 | $1.82BPowerball, December 2025 | $834.9M46% of it | $493.5M |
| 3 | $1.79BPowerball, September 2025 | $820.6M46% of it | $239.3Meach |
| 4 | $1.76BPowerball, October 2023 | $774.1M44% of it | $487.7M |
| 5 | $1.6BMega Millions, August 2023 | $794.2M50% of it | $500.4M |
| 6 | $1.59BPowerball, January 2016 | $983.5M62% of it | $206.6Meach |
| 7 | $1.54BMega Millions, October 2018 | $877.8M57% of it | $498.6M |
| 8 | $1.35BMega Millions, January 2023 | $723.5M54% of it | $404.1M |
| 9 | $1.34BMega Millions, July 2022 | $780.5M58% of it | $453.1M |
| 10 | $1.33BPowerball, April 2024 | $621M47% of it | $329.8M |
Jackpot and cash figures are as the lottery announced them; dates link to the report we checked. “Est. kept” is our estimate, not what the winners reported: 2026 federal brackets and the winning state's current rate, applied to each winner's share of the cash for a single filer with no other income. Winners who claim through a trust or share a ticket with family can be taxed differently.
Ranked by what the winners kept, the order changes
Three things move a jackpot up or down once the headline is set aside: how much cash the lottery offered, how many tickets shared it, and which state taxed it.
- 1.$2.04 billion Powerball, November 2022still #1$628.5M
- 2.$1.6 billion Mega Millions, August 2023up 3 from #5$500.4M
- 3.$1.54 billion Mega Millions, October 2018up 4 from #7$498.6M
- 4.$1.82 billion Powerball, December 2025down 2 from #2$493.5M
- 5.$1.76 billion Powerball, October 2023down 1 from #4$487.7M
- 6.$1.34 billion Mega Millions, July 2022up 3 from #9$453.1M
- 7.$1.35 billion Mega Millions, January 2023up 1 from #8$404.1M
- 8.$1.33 billion Powerball, April 2024up 2 from #10$329.8M
- 9.$1.79 billion Powerball, September 2025down 6 from #3$239.3M
- 10.$1.59 billion Powerball, January 2016down 4 from #6$206.6M
Why the same jackpot is worth less cash than it used to be
The cash option for the $1.59 billion Powerball, January 2016 was 62% of the headline. For the $1.76 billion Powerball, October 2023 it was 44%. The difference is interest rates. The advertised jackpot is what the cash would grow to if the lottery invested it and paid it out over 29 years, so the higher rates are, the less cash it takes to fund the same headline.
The same rate decides whether the cash or the annuity is the better deal. In January 2016 a winner had to earn about 2.85% a year on the cash to come out ahead of the annuity; for the $1.76 billion Powerball, October 2023 it took about 5.22%. Our lump sum vs annuity guide has the figure for today's jackpots.
Where today's jackpots would fit
To make this list, a jackpot has to beat the $1.33 billion in tenth place. Here is how the current ones compare by what a winner in a no-tax state would keep.
Powerball, $760 million
$326 million cash, about $205.4 million after tax. That is $1.2 million short of the smallest take-home here.
Win it in theory, then spend itMega Millions, $463 million
$194.9 million cash, about $122.8 million after tax. That is $83.7 million short of the smallest take-home here.
Win it in theory, then spend itCommon questions
Records as of October 2026. Estimates for entertainment and planning, not tax advice.