Celebrity Lottery Wins
So, why do celebrities play the lottery? Whether it’s for the excitement, the fun of the game or even supporting a local jackpot, many famous personalities have tried their luck with lottery tickets. Celebrities who won the lottery may not make a big deal about their winnings (but these featured winners from Jackpocket are). Let’s take a look at some of these celebrities and some insight into their reasons for joining the fun.
Simon Cowell
Simon Cowell is one of the wealthiest people in show business. He’s dipped his fingers in many pots, including the record business. You may have seen him drumming up the drama on “American Idol” or “America’s Got Talent.” He’s also been seen on Britain's versions of these shows, such as “The X Factor.” He’s been ranked sixth on a list of the 100 most powerful people in British culture according to The Daily Telegraph, a British newspaper. He loves playing the lottery, though he protects his identity when doing so. As a result, it’s unknown what lottery games he participates in or whether he’s won.
George Clooney
While being a talented actor and the reason many people swoon, he’s also well-known for his philanthropy work. His Foundation for Justice fights for human rights in the United States and around the world. He has supported countless charities over the years. He has won awards that include the USC Shoah Foundation’s Ambassador for Humanity Award and the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award for his efforts. In 2010, he played the European lottery, SuperEnalotto, and ordered 1,000 tickets, vowing to donate any winnings to recently hurricane-stricken Haiti. Unfortunately, he didn't win.
Hugh Jackman
Yep, even superheroes like to play the lottery. For the past 12 years, this Wolverine star, known for roles in “Deadpool,” “The Greatest Showman” and the voice of Memphis in “Happy Feet,” has been getting about 500 lottery tickets whenever he’s on set for a movie. He doesn’t keep them. He generously gives the tickets out to the crew! He doesn’t want to be a star on a pedestal. He wants to get to know the crew members working on his movies and build camaraderie with them. He’s certainly shown his co-workers what a down-to-earth guy he is, but unfortunately, none of the tickets have been significant winners.
Madonna
The woman known as the Queen of Pop, Madonna, is one of the few celebrities who won the lottery. Madonna has been thrilling fans for decades with hits like “Material Girl,” “Who’s That Girl,” and “Body Shop.” She honors her heritage by playing the wildly popular SuperEnaLotto from Italy. While on tour in 2012, Madonna ordered 100 SuperEnaLotto tickets, and the bet paid off. She won over $130,000 from the game. The entire prize went to building schools in Malawi.
Chris Singleton
If you’re a basketball fan, you might know this name. This former Washington Wizards player (who now plays overseas) was reported in his rookie year to want to win the Mega Millions jackpot so badly he spent $10,000 on tickets.
Lotto Formats Popular Among Celebrities
While we don’t know all the specific lottery games celebrities like to play, as we saw with Madonna, SuperEnaLotto is popular amongst celebrities. It’s a popular game with George Clooney, too. In 2010, he ordered thousands of tickets for this game, hoping to take home the $117 million jackpot. Except he wasn’t going to take it home. He was going to donate the prize to charities that were helping the victims of a recent large-scale earthquake in Haiti. Unfortunately, no big prize materialized.
What Happens When Celebrities Win the Lottery?
Celebrities who win the lottery are subject to the same claim rules as everyone else. They must claim their prize in the jurisdiction where the prize was won and must follow the claim rules for that jurisdiction. This includes whether or not their identity and the amount they won can be kept secret.
The Appeal of the Lottery for Celebrities
Like all lottery lovers, celebrities have their reasons for playing the lottery. Some do it to support the local community, and others plan on donating their winnings to charity or to make friends and get to know people. Others do it because it’s just plain fun!
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FAQs
Speaking of big wins, there have been some non-celebrities who have won big. Here are some of our most frequently asked questions about some lucky winners.
Are there any billionaire lottery winners?
Nine lottery lovers have been lucky enough to win a grand prize that exceeded $1 billion. These winners have all won with tickets from either Powerball or Mega Millions.
Which state has the most lottery winners?
California, Florida and New York have consistently boasted the most lottery winners due to their large populations and active lottery programs. Texas and Pennsylvania also have many lottery winners because of their frequent participation in multi-state games like Mega Millions and Powerball.
Has the winner of the $1 billion lottery win been sued by his family?
An unidentified man in Maine has been in court proceedings since winning a $1.35 billion jackpot. There have been claims by the winner against the mother of his child for violating a nondisclosure agreement, and the family has submitted suits stating that the winner did not keep his promises to them.
Who won the $1 billion lottery?
There have been nine winners who have won over $1 billion in the lottery. They include:
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Edwin Castro from California won the top prize of $2.04 billion playing Powerball
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Theordorus Struyck of California won $1.765 billion on Powerball
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The third prize was $1.5864 billion and was split between winners in California, Tennesse and Florida from winning Powerball tickets
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$1.58 billion went to a Mega Millions winner in Florida
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A lucky winner in South Carolina took home a $1.537 million prize from Mega Millions
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A Maine winner won a $1.348 billion jackpot from a Mega Millions ticket
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A Mega Millions ticket holder in Illinois won $1.337 billion
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A California Powerball winner was lucky to win a $1.0798 billion prize
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An anonymous person in Michigan held the $1.05 billion Mega Millions ticket
