The Mega Millions lottery has produced some of the biggest prizes ever seen in the United States. While Powerball holds the all-time world record, Mega Millions is not far behind and has created multiple billion-dollar jackpots that changed the lives of their winners forever.
This article looks at the largest Mega Millions lottery winners in history, where those tickets were sold, and how these record jackpots compare to one another.
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The Largest Mega Millions Jackpot Ever Won in the United States
The biggest Mega Millions jackpot in history was $1.602 billion, won in Florida in August 2023. A single winning ticket was sold at a convenience store in Neptune Beach, making it the largest Mega Millions prize ever recorded.
Important details of this historic win include:
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Single winning ticket
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Lump-sum payout selected
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One of the largest individual lottery wins in U.S. history
This jackpot briefly held the record for the largest lottery prize in the United States before being surpassed by later Powerball wins.
Mega Millions Jackpots That Exceeded $1.5 Billion
In October 2018, a ticket sold in South Carolina won a $1.537 billion Mega Millions jackpot. At the time, it was the largest lottery jackpot ever won by a single ticket.
This win was notable because:
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The winner initially remained anonymous
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It was the first Mega Millions jackpot to exceed $1.5 billion
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It triggered widespread national lottery excitement
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Other Record-Breaking Mega Millions Jackpots Over $1.3 Billion
Several other Mega Millions jackpots have crossed the $1.3 billion mark, reinforcing the lottery’s reputation for massive prizes.
Notable examples include:
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$1.348 billion, won in Maine in January 2023
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$1.337 billion, won in Illinois in July 2022
Both jackpots were claimed by single ticket holders and followed long rollover streaks that pushed prize values into historic territory.
Additional Mega Millions Jackpots Approaching One Billion Dollars
Beyond the largest headline wins, Mega Millions has produced several jackpots close to or above the one-billion-dollar level, including:
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$1.128 billion, won in New Jersey in March 2024
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$656 million, won in Illinois in 2012, which set records at the time
These wins demonstrate how consistently Mega Millions now generates enormous jackpots compared to earlier decades.
Why Mega Millions Lottery Jackpots Have Become So Large
Mega Millions jackpots have grown significantly due to changes in the game’s structure. Adjustments to the number matrix increased the difficulty of winning the jackpot, resulting in more rollovers and larger accumulated prizes.
Other contributing factors include:
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Nationwide participation
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Increased ticket prices
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Strong media coverage during long rollover periods
Together, these factors allow Mega Millions jackpots to climb into the billion-dollar range.
Lump Sum vs Annuity Choices Among Mega Millions Winners
Like Powerball winners, most Mega Millions jackpot winners choose the lump-sum payout rather than the annuity. While the lump sum reduces the advertised jackpot amount, it provides immediate access to funds and greater financial flexibility.
This trend is consistent across nearly all record Mega Millions wins.
Are Billion-Dollar Mega Millions Jackpots Becoming More Common?
Yes, billion-dollar Mega Millions jackpots are becoming more frequent. What was once a rare event is now part of a recurring pattern driven by game design and national participation.
Modern Mega Millions jackpots routinely reach levels that were once considered extraordinary.
What the Largest Mega Millions Winners Reveal About the Lottery
The history of Mega Millions’ biggest winners shows that massive jackpots are not random anomalies. They are the result of deliberate design choices intended to create rare but spectacular prizes.
Although the odds of winning remain extremely low, the potential rewards continue to attract millions of players across the United States and beyond.
How the Largest Mega Millions Winners Fit Into the Bigger Lottery Landscape
Understanding the largest Mega Millions winners helps place the lottery in context alongside other major games such as Powerball and European lotteries.