Mega Millions has paid seven jackpots of more than $1 billion. The record is $1.602 billion, won with a single ticket sold in Neptune Beach, Florida, on August 8, 2023. Here are the biggest jackpots in the game's history, where they were won and what happens after a win like that.
The record: $1.602 billion in Florida
The biggest Mega Millions jackpot ever was drawn on August 8, 2023. A single ticket, sold at a Publix supermarket in Neptune Beach, Florida, matched all six numbers. The jackpot was worth $1.602 billion as an annuity, or $794.2 million as a lump-sum cash payment.
The 10 biggest Mega Millions jackpots
| # | Drawing date | Jackpot | Cash value | State |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | August 8, 2023 | $1.602 billion | $794.2 million | Florida |
| 2 | October 23, 2018 | $1.537 billion | $877.8 million | South Carolina |
| 3 | January 13, 2023 | $1.348 billion | $723.5 million | Maine |
| 4 | July 29, 2022 | $1.337 billion | $780.5 million | Illinois |
| 5 | December 27, 2024 | $1.269 billion | $571.9 million | California |
| 6 | March 26, 2024 | $1.128 billion | $536.6 million | New Jersey |
| 7 | January 22, 2021 | $1.050 billion | $776.6 million | Michigan |
| 8 | November 14, 2025 | $983 million | $453.6 million | Georgia |
| 9 | September 10, 2024 | $810 million | $409.3 million | Texas |
| 10 | July 28, 2026 | $803 million | $345.5 million | Florida |
Each of these jackpots was won by a single ticket. The winning tickets were sold in Simpsonville, South Carolina (2018), Lebanon, Maine, Des Plaines, Illinois, Cottonwood, California, Neptune Township, New Jersey, and Novi, Michigan, where the winners were a lottery club.
Other jackpots that made history
- $656 million, March 30, 2012: split between tickets sold in Illinois, Kansas and Maryland, it was the largest prize in any jackpot game in the world at the time.
- $648 million, December 17, 2013: shared by two tickets, one sold in California and the other in Georgia.
- $363 million, 2000: the record of The Big Game, the name Mega Millions had before 2002.
States with the biggest wins
The biggest jackpots have come from all over the country, but some states show up again and again:
- Illinois has sold tickets for four jackpots of more than $500 million: its share of the $656 million in 2012, $1.337 billion in 2022, $552 million in 2024 and $536 million in 2026.
- Florida holds the record, $1.602 billion in 2023, and won again in July 2026 with $803 million. It also shared the $502 million jackpot of October 14, 2022, with California.
- California won $1.269 billion in 2024, after its share of the $502 million in 2022, $522 million on June 7, 2019, $543 million in 2018 and its share of the $648 million in 2013.
- New Jersey won $533 million in 2018 and $1.128 billion in 2024.
- Michigan saw a lottery club win $1.050 billion in January 2021.
Big states sell more tickets, so they win more often. But every ticket has exactly the same odds, whether it's bought in Texas or in Maine.
No cap on the jackpot
Mega Millions doesn't limit how big the jackpot can get: it keeps rolling over until someone matches all six numbers. When it announced the $5 game in 2024, the consortium said it expected jackpots to grow faster, with an average jackpot win of more than $800 million. How the jackpot builds up is explained in the Mega Millions jackpot.
Advertised jackpot and cash value
The jackpot figure is the value of the annuity: 30 payments over 29 years, each 5% bigger than the last. The cash value is the money actually in the prize pool, paid in a single lump sum. The gap between the two depends on interest rates: in 2021, the $1.050 billion jackpot had a cash value of $776.6 million, while the $803 million jackpot of 2026 had a cash value of $345.5 million.
What happens after a big win
- Choosing how to be paid: annuity or cash option. Some states set a deadline to take the cash that's shorter than the claim period.
- Taxes: the lottery withholds 24% for federal taxes, and more may be owed at filing. Most states tax the prize too.
- Publicity: some states require the lottery to name winners and others let them stay anonymous.
- Advice: winners are encouraged to get legal and financial advice before claiming.
Every step is in how to claim a Mega Millions prize.
Records don't change your odds
Whether the jackpot is $50 million or $1.6 billion, the odds of winning it are the same: 1 in 290,472,336 per play. A bigger jackpot only means more tickets in play, and a greater chance of sharing it if you win. The numbers behind this are in Mega Millions odds.
Frequently asked questions
What is the largest Mega Millions jackpot ever?
$1.602 billion, won on August 8, 2023, with a single ticket sold in Neptune Beach, Florida. Its cash value was $794.2 million.
How many Mega Millions jackpots have topped $1 billion?
Seven, between 2018 and 2024: in South Carolina, Michigan, Illinois, Maine, Florida, New Jersey and California.
Is the Mega Millions record the biggest lottery jackpot ever?
No. The world record is Powerball's $2.04 billion jackpot, won in California on November 7, 2022. Mega Millions' $1.602 billion is its own record.
Do states that have won before have better odds?
No. Every ticket has the same odds wherever it's sold. States with more players sell more tickets, so they produce more winners over time.
Last reviewed: . Independent information: official results are published by the lottery that runs the game.