Edwin Castro won Powerball’s $2.04 billion in California in 2022

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As the Powerball jackpot climbs ever higher, have you ever wondered what US state has won the largest lottery jackpots?

We can tell you. The following jackpots represent the largest wins in American lottery history.

Several of them exceed the billion-dollar mark, showing the popularity of lottery games in the United States.

Top 10 winning states

The top 10 winning states for the largest separate Mega Millions and Powerball jackpots are as follows:

Mega Millions

• $1.602 billion – Won in Florida (August 2023).

• $1.53 billion – Won in South Carolina (October 2018).

• $1.35 billion – Won in Maine (January 2023).

• $1.33 billion – Won in Illinois (July 2022).

• $1.05 billion – Won in Michigan (January 2021).

• $656 million – Split among winners in Maryland, Kansas, and Illinois (March 2012).

• $648 million – Split between California and Georgia (December 2013).

• $543 million – Won by a syndicate in California (July 2018).

• $536 million – Won in Indiana (July 2018).

• $533 million – Won in New Jersey (March 2018).

Powerball

• $2.04 billion – Won in California (November 2022).

• $1.76 billion – Won in California (October 2023).

• $1.58 billion – Split among winners in Tennessee, Florida, and California (January 2016).

• $1.08 billion – Won in California (July 2023).

• $768.4 million – Won in Wisconsin (March 2019).

• $758.7 million – Won in Massachusetts (August 2017).

• $754 million – Won in Washington (February 2023).

• $731 million – Won in Maryland (January 2021).

• $699 million – Won in California (October 2021).

• $687.8 million – Split between New York and Iowa (October 2018).

The top 5 winning states

The top 5 winning states with the highest number of both Mega Millions and Powerball wins are interesting because their winnings are almost directly related to their population numbers:

California:

The population of California is approximately 39.2 million, making it the most populous state in the United States.

• $2.04 billion Powerball (November 2022)

• $1.76 billion Powerball (October 2023)

• $1.08 billion Powerball (July 2023)

• $648 million Mega Millions (December 2013)

• $543 million Mega Millions (July 2018)

• $699 million Powerball (October 2021)

Florida:

Its population is around 21.9 million, ranking it as the third most populous state in the U.S.

• $1.602 billion Mega Millions (August 2023)

• Part of $1.58 billion Powerball (January 2016)

Illinois:

The population of Illinois is approximately 12.7 million, making it the sixth most populous state in the country.

• $1.33 billion Mega Millions (July 2022)

• Part of $656 million Mega Millions (March 2012)

South Carolina:

The population of South Carolina is approximately 5.19 million, making it the 23rd most populous state in the United States.

• $1.53 billion Mega Millions (October 2018)

Tennessee:

The population of Tennessee is about 6.98 million, making it the 16th most populous state in the United States.

• Part of $1.58 billion Powerball (January 2016)

California leads due to its many high-value jackpot wins across both Mega Millions and Powerball games.

The distribution of the largest lottery jackpots in the United States shows interesting trends that go beyond just population size.

While California, as the most populous state, naturally leads in the number of high-value jackpot wins, the presence of states like South Carolina and Tennessee among the top winners is striking given their smaller populations.

California’s top spot in both Mega Millions and Powerball winnings can be linked to its large population, offering a bigger pool of players.

However, its success might also suggest a higher per person participation in lotteries or effective state marketing strategies for these games.

Remarkably, South Carolina’s big win of a $1.53 billion Mega Millions jackpot is noteworthy. For a state ranked 23rd in population, this implies either an exceptionally high level of participation or simply good luck.

Tennessee’s share in the huge $1.58 billion Powerball jackpot, despite being the 16th most populous state, points to similar factors.