The highest lottery jackpots ever awarded in the USA
One and a half years ago when lottery officials decided to double the price of a Powerball ticket there were very few who agreed with his measured. Over the course of time, this led to increasingly high lottery jackpots and on May 18, a lucky player from Florida set a new record for the Powerball. The jackpot was rolled over four consecutive months and it suddenly seemed possible for the all-time Mega Millions records to be broken. The aforementioned game has the record for the highest lottery jackpot with three players from Kansas, Maryland and Illinois sharing the total of $656 million.
Powerball jackpot $400 million and rising
As far as lottery players are concerned, the hottest lottery of the moment is the Powerball where the jackpot stands at $400 million. The next draw is scheduled for Wednesday and unless someone matches the winning numbers, the prize will be rolled over again and it will inch closer to $450 million. With the odds of winning being one in 170 million, there is a good chance for this scenario to become reality and that’s why all lottery players are at the edge of their seats.
The jackpot would still have to grow more than $180 million to tie the second-largest Powerball jackpot ever awarded. What is certain is that the next winner will receive an amount standing on the fourth spot in the list of highest lottery jackpot ever awarded in the United States. The interest for this lottery has always been high, but whenever the jackpots cross certain thresholds players swarm the vendors. This explains why the progression of lottery jackpots is not smooth and it also makes it easier for players to choose the perfect timing for buying more tickets than usual.
The Big Game record under fire
The predecessor of the Mega Millions was a lottery called The Big Game and it ran successfully until 2002 when it was replaced by this new game. The list of highest lottery jackpots would be incomplete without mentioning the $363 million split between two winners from Michigan and Illinois on May 9, 2000. This is the only The Big Game jackpot still standing in the top 10, flanked by two Powerball prizes won in 2005 and 2006.
It is only a matter of time until this lottery will make more winners and given the surge in the size of jackpots, these old jackpots are bound to fall. The Mega Millions still holds the record for the highest lottery jackpots ever awarded worldwide and has several lower prizes in the top 10. Nevertheless, a keen observer will notice that the Powerball makes more millionaires lately and the popularity of lottery games shifted into its direction.
Check out the Record lottery winner proves to be a Florida resident as well.
