Is your state among the biggest lottery winners? How “lucky” is your state when it comes to winning those multi-state lotteries such as Powerball or Mega Millions?
Wonder no more! Here's a list of the biggest lottery winnings by state in the U.S. This list covers the largest lottery winnings with a single lottery ticket (no sharing!) in each state.
| State | Prize | Game | Get the Story |
| Alabama* | |||
| Alaska* | |||
| Arizona | $410M | Mega Millions | The first Mega Millions win in the state is also the biggest jackpot win ever in Arizona. |
| Arkansas | $177M | Mega Millions | This jackpot was won on April Fools Day...but this lottery prize is no joke. |
| California | $2.04B | Powerball | Drumroll for the biggest lottery jackpot in history! |
| Colorado | $133M | Powerball | A CO woman finally wins the jackpot after playing her numbers for 30 years. |
| Connecticut | $254.2M | Powerball | Three wealth management co-workers won on 1 Quick Pick ticket. |
| Delaware | $121M | Powerball | Won by a group of 33 co-workers from a DE printing company. |
| Florida | $1.58B | Mega Millions | This ultra lucky winner secured the largest win in the game's history. |
| Georgia | $648M | Mega Millions | "It's like I'm still dreaming." |
| Hawaii* | |||
| Idaho | $220.3M | Powerball | A pick-your-own numbers victory in Idaho. |
| Illinois | $1.337B | Mega Millions | "It's the largest lottery prize ever won in Illinois..." |
| Indiana | $536M | Mega Millions | This Hoosier bought their winning ticket on the way to their child's sports game. |
| Iowa | $343.9M | Powerball | This single-mom nearly lost her ticket after dropping it on the floor of her sister's truck. |
| Kansas | $218.6M | Mega Millions | The winner said they were looking forward to early retirement. |
| Kentucky | $128.6M | Powerball | All of Kentucky's top jackpot winners won on Powerball. |
| Louisiana | $191M | Powerball | A 3-member family partnership took home the prize. |
| Maine | $1.348B | Mega Millions | Maine won its first Mega Millions jackpot on a Friday the 13th. |
| Maryland | $731.1M | Powerball | An anonymous group, known as "The Power Pack," said they would use the money to invest in their community. |
| Massachusetts | $758.7M | Powerball | A hospital worker opted for the lump sum. |
| Michigan | $1.05B | Mega Millions | A lottery club bought their winning ticket at a local Kroger. |
| Minnesota | $229M | Powerball | "He is retired as of 14 or 15 hours ago," the winner's wife said. |
| Mississippi | $524K | Match 5 | This is the biggest prize since MS lottery began selling tickets in 2019. |
| Missouri | $192.4M | Powerball | "I think we'll have a good Christmas." |
| Montana | $48.5M | Powerball | "Mostly I've just got to let it sink in and let it feel real." |
| Nebraska | $365M | Powerball | Eight ham processing plant co-workers became instant millionaires. |
| Nevada* | |||
| New Hampshire | $559.7M | Powerball | "My client doesn't want any accolades, she doesn't want any credit. She just wants to do good things." |
| New Jersey | $1.128B | Mega Millions | The winning ticket was sold at ShopRite Liquor #781 in Neptune Township, NJ. |
| New Mexico | $206.9M | Powerball | A group of friends chipped in for the winning ticket. |
| New York | $432M | Mega Millions | The biggest Big Apple win was sold at Pronto Pizza. |
| North Carolina | $344.6M | Powerball | Numbers from a fortune cookie are responsible for this winner's good fortune. |
| North Dakota | $3M | Mega Millions | Two $3 million Mega Millions prizes are tied for biggest wins in ND. |
| Ohio | $372M | Mega Millions | A record December lottery win set the stage for a very Happy Holiday. |
| Oklahoma | $105.8M | Powerball | "Basically I just broke down and cried." |
| Oregon | $1.326B | Powerball | Lottery gold won in Portland, Oregon |
| Pennsylvania | $516M | Mega Millions | "This is life-changing generational money." |
| Puerto Rico | $127M | Powerball | This prize marks the first winning Powerball jackpot ticket ever sold outside the continental U.S. |
| Rhode Island | $336.4M | Powerball | "We are truly blessed." |
| South Carolina | $1.537B | Mega Millions | "I can't even count that number." |
| South Dakota | $232.1M | Powerball | South Dakota's very own Powerball jackpot won in Pierre. |
| Tennessee | $420.9M | Powerball | "Everyone was screaming — just the joy!" |
| Texas | $360M | Mega Millions | Someone in San Angelo matched all six numbers drawn & chose the cash option as the time of purchase. |
| Utah* | |||
| U.S. Virgin Islands | $2M | Powerball | A St. Croix resident won by matching 5 numbers. |
| Vermont | $366.7 | Powerball | Also the one and only Powerball jackpot won by VT. |
| Virginia | $239M | Mega Millions | "Sweetheart, we got the numbers." |
| Washington | $754.6M | Powerball | The winner could opt for the annuity option or a one-time cash payment of $407.2 million. |
| Washington, D.C. | $144M | Powerball | An 82-year-old lifelong resident took home the jackpot. |
| West Virginia | $314.9M | Powerball | The drawing took place on Christmas Day. |
| Wisconsin | $768.4M | Powerball | "I just had that lucky feeling." |
| Wyoming | $5M | Mega Millions | The biggest lottery win in Wyoming was sold in Evanston. |
*No state lottery
Curious about where most lottery winners are by state? Check out our lists for states with the most Powerball winners and the most Mega Millions winners. There's always more room at the top!
Can lottery winners choose to remain anonymous?
When you learn which states have the biggest lottery winners, we bet you want to know if those winners had the option to remain anonymous when they claimed their prize.
The answer is that it depends on the state. States have set their own rules about whether lottery winners can remain anonymous. And there may be stipulations on those rules, too. For example, in Texas, you can remain anonymous only if the prize won is over $1 million. Check your state lottery website for more information on which regulations apply to your state.
How much are lottery winnings taxed?
So, what happens if you win? If you’re lucky enough to join the biggest lottery winners, be ready to give Uncle Sam his piece of the pie because lottery winnings are taxable. Any winnings above $599.99 are considered income in the eyes of the IRS and will be taxed as such. Prizes from $600 to $4,999.99 will be taxed at your normal income tax rate. Once you hit $5,000, the IRS will take 24% of your total winnings.
Depending on your other income, this could push you into a higher tax bracket, so be prepared to pay the difference between what the IRS has already taken and your actual tax bracket in additional taxes. For example, if your total income between work and your lottery winnings puts you in the 37% tax bracket, you will owe an additional 13% of your winnings back to the government.
Your state and municipality may tax your winnings, too. For example, if you live in New York, the state tax withholding is 10.9% of your winnings,and for New York City residents, withholding is an additional 3.876%.. Visit your state’s local lottery website to learn whether or not your state, county, or city will want their share of your winnings.
Guide: How are lottery winnings taxed in your state?
Which lottery game has had the highest grand prize in U.S. history?
The largest jackpot ever goes to Powerball. The prize won was $2.04 billion in November 2022. The lucky winner, Edwin Castro, lived in California at the time and got his ticket from a service center in Altadena, CA. He took his prize in a lump sum, so he did not become the country’s next billionaire. He was close, though! His lump-sum prize was $997.6 million.
What should you do if you win the lottery?
First and foremost, celebrate! Then make sure to sign and protect that ticket! After signing it, lock it away in a drawer or safe until you are ready to claim your winnings. If the prize is large, you will want to develop a plan around how to claim your lottery prize and what to anticipate.
At a minimum, consult with a Certified Public Accountant who can help you know what to expect at tax time so you can avoid issues with the IRS. If your prize is in the millions, you may also want to consider partnering with a lawyer or wealth management planner who can help you ensure that your winnings are around for a long time.
A lawyer can help you decide whether to claim your winnings anonymously if your state allows it. If your state allows a trust to claim the winnings, thereby still protecting your identity, they can draw up the necessary paperwork.
A wealth management planner can help you invest the right amount of your money, so you still have some to play with now, but plenty will last a long time. They can also assist with gifts to family and friends (and the rules around those) or charitable gifts you wish to offer.
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