Big jackpots come in all shapes and sizes. Be inspired by this list of record-breaking prizes featuring a variety of jackpots, including the biggest lottery winnings on different continents, the biggest daily lottery prizes, and even exciting raffle prizes. Many players around the world have already won their personal lottery jackpots and you have the chance to win as well.
The biggest starting jackpots
Before we talk about the biggest prizes, let’s look at where it all starts. The entry level jackpot is the amount of money that will be drawn in the next draw, once it has been won. Unlike fixed prizes (such as the Texas Cash Five which always has a $25,000 jackpot, or the Australian Lotto Monday which always has an AU$1 million prize pool) the lottery with a minimum jackpot can grow until the jackpot reaches a ceiling set by the organisers, or until someone wins it.
The biggest starting jackpots are in the US and Europe lotteries. The biggest prizes – both minimum and paid out – belong to two American lotteries: the Powerball and the Mega Millions. After the next jackpot drops, the next cycle of these lotteries starts at around $20 million*. That’s more than many lottery records! This amount can grow each draw until it reaches an upper limit.
Second place, at €17 million, goes to the hugely popular EuroMillions, while third place goes to another European cross country lottery. The EuroJackpot has a minimum first prize of €10 million and due to its enormous popularity, the jackpot only rarely reaches its top line.
The world’s biggest lottery winnings
Most lottery fans follow the biggest jackpots in the US and Europe but some amazing prizes are being won all over the world on a regular basis. Read on to find out about the biggest jackpots in both cross-national and local lotteries!
The US is firmly at the top of the list for lottery prizes. All 10 of the biggest jackpots in history have been won by the Powerball and Mega Millions. Want to know what the biggest lottery win in the world is? Newsflash: In January 2016, the American Powerball drew a prize of $1.586 billion, which was won by 3 tickets (purchased in California, Tennessee and Florida). Each of the winners received a third of the fabulous sum – $533 million. Yes, the USA is famous for its incredible lottery prizes! Every player has a chance to win an incredible prize, so you should try your luck and get rich.