Biggest Lottery Winners in History

The largest lottery jackpot in US history is the $2.04 billion Powerball prize won on November 7, 2022 by Edwin Castro in California. Globally, Spain's El Gordo distributes more total prize money (€2.7 billion) each year, but it's shared across thousands of ticket holders rather than a single winner.

As of March 2026, there have been 11 US lottery jackpots that reached or exceeded $1 billion. The first was the $1.586 billion Powerball in January 2016, split three ways.

It depends on the state. Some states like South Carolina, Michigan, and Maryland allow winners to remain anonymous. Others like California require public disclosure. Many winners in disclosure states claim through trusts or LLCs to maintain some privacy.

Most winners choose the lump sum, which is typically 40-60% of the advertised jackpot. The annuity pays the full amount over 29 years. Financial advisors are split — the lump sum gives you control of the money, but the annuity provides guaranteed income and protection from overspending.

No. US federal law prohibits Americans from purchasing foreign lottery tickets. Services that claim to sell EuroMillions or other international lottery tickets to US residents are operating outside US law. Americans can only legally play US-based lotteries (Powerball, Mega Millions, state lotteries).