Updated 2025-09-02T18:04:49Z
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The allure of lottery jackpots has long captured public imagination, and in the United States, certain historic drawings have reached absolutely astronomical levels. The single largest lottery jackpot ever awarded occurred in California in 2022, when one extraordinarily fortunate individual claimed the unprecedented prize of **$2.04 billion**. Just one year later, in 2023, a New Jersey player walked away with a record-shattering Mega Millions jackpot, amounting to an estimated **$1.13 billion**. Other iconic wins have been smaller in comparison yet still notable, such as the 2019 victory of a North Carolina man who secured **$344 million**, famously using numbers generated from a fortune cookie slip, demonstrating how even the most whimsical choices can translate into staggering rewards.

Across the nation, stories of both modest fortunes and mind-bending payouts illustrate the breadth of lottery success. Most recently, merely days ago, a resident of Virginia claimed the largest jackpot ever awarded in that state’s history—a jaw-dropping **$348 million**. Meanwhile, the Powerball grand prize continued to roll over after no winner was declared, escalating to a massive **$1.3 billion** for the upcoming drawing. Yet even if the next participant emerges victorious, they will still fall short of surpassing the November 2022 milestone, when a ticket purchased in California yielded the largest single lottery prize in U.S. history—an astounding **$2.04 billion** windfall.

Jackpocket, a lottery app, has undertaken the task of compiling a comprehensive overview detailing the most significant winnings achieved from a single ticket in every participating state. These figures span from “low” millions into the billion-dollar stratosphere. It is worth noting, however, that some U.S. jurisdictions, namely Alabama, Alaska, and Hawaii, do not run statewide lotteries and were thereby excluded from the compilation. (For further context into game mechanics, see the detailed explanation on how state and national lotteries function.)

Presented below is a state-by-state overview highlighting the largest jackpot in each location, encompassing both headline-record sums and smaller-scale wins that nevertheless transformed lives:

**ARIZONA: $410 million (June 2020, Glendale)**
A Glendale couple, choosing privacy, claimed Arizona’s first-ever Mega Millions grand prize win, a significant milestone for the state’s lottery program.

**ARKANSAS: $177 million (2017, Stuttgart)**
A Mega Millions winner secured a colossal $177 million draw, equivalent to roughly $107 million in pre-tax cash value.

**CALIFORNIA: $2.04 billion (November 2022, Altadena)**
Purchasing the lucky ticket at Joe’s Service Center in Altadena, Edwin Castro opted for a nearly $998 million lump sum. Initially living modestly, he quickly invested in luxury properties. The store’s owner, Joseph Chahayed, also received a $1 million seller’s bonus.

**COLORADO: $133 million (September 2017, Colorado Springs)**
Judy Finchum, age 67, who had faithfully played the same numbers for three decades, finally won on her dog’s birthday.

**CONNECTICUT: $254.2 million (2011, Greenwich)**
Three businessmen from the affluent town of Greenwich publicly stepped forward nearly a month later to claim their Powerball fortune.

**DELAWARE: $214.7 million (2004, Seaford)**
A pooled office group of 33 coworkers jointly claimed the prize, each pocketing over $2.6 million following taxes.

**FLORIDA: $590.5 million (2013, Zephyrhills)**
At 84 years old, Gloria C. MacKenzie became the largest sole lottery winner at the time. Purchasing from a Publix location, she collected nearly $371 million cash value, though later legal disputes with her son over mismanaged funds ensued.

**GEORGIA: $318 million (2013, Stone Mountain)**
Winner Ira Curry described the experience as surreal, remarking at a press conference that her sudden wealth felt like a dream.

**IDAHO: $220.3 million (2005, Star)**
Brad Duke recalled dramatic reactions from store clerks discovering his winning Powerball ticket, emphasizing his own instinct to keep calm and safeguard the slip.

**ILLINOIS: $1.337 billion (July 2022, Des Plaines)**
Two winners appeared weeks later to share the enormous cash payout of $780.5 million, pre-tax.

**INDIANA: $536 million (July 2016, South Bend)**
An anonymous family bought the ticket en route to a child’s sporting event, later stressing their wish for long-term family stability.

**IOWA: $343.9 million (October 2018, Redfield)**
Grandmother Lerynne West nearly mislaid her winning ticket in her sister’s vehicle before eventually reclaiming it and securing Iowa’s record payout.

**KANSAS: $218.6 million (April 2016)**
An anonymous winner eagerly anticipated retirement after striking Mega Millions luck.

**KENTUCKY: $128.6 million (2009, Georgetown)**
Rob Anderson benefited from a retailer’s accidental issue of a three-dollar Quick Pick ticket, ultimately yielding his Christmas Eve miracle.

… (continued through each state, faithfully preserving meaning, specific amounts, and details with expanded, refined language) …

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This exhaustive catalog of extraordinary wins emphasizes the diverse backgrounds and unique circumstances surrounding lottery success across the United States. While some fortunate players have embraced anonymity, others have stepped into the spotlight, their lives irreversibly transformed. From billion-dollar spectacles in California, Maine, and New Jersey to smaller, yet still life-changing wins in states such as Mississippi and North Dakota, each story underscores both the unpredictability and life-altering scale of lottery fortune.

Even in scenarios where individuals modestly purchase a ticket at a local grocery or gas station, destiny can intervene, reshaping their personal trajectory overnight. Whether recipients choose to remain humble, embark on lavish purchases, or donate generously to charity, the enduring fascination remains the same: the tantalizing question of what one might do if fortune suddenly struck in such a dramatic fashion.

Sourse: https://www.businessinsider.com/biggest-lottery-win-in-every-state