Powerball, Mega Millions, $1 billion jackpots: 9 times in history, 4th time in 2023

Jennifer Sangalang, Florida Today
Updated ·9 min read

Well, Powerball players, we now have another billion-dollar jackpot. The Saturday, Sept. 30, drawing rolled over from the $960 million total to a cool $1.04 billion, the Florida Lottery reported. It is the ninth time in U.S. history that a lottery jackpot hit $1 billion or more ... and the fourth time to happen in 2023.

Here are some things to know about Powerball, Mega Millions and those billion-dollar jackpots.

How much was the Powerball lottery jackpot for Monday, Oct. 2?

an estimated $1.04 billion

How much was the Powerball lottery jackpot for Saturday, Sept. 30?

an estimated $960 million with a cash option of $441.4 million

How long has the Powerball lottery rolled over, how long will it take to reach $1 billion?

This Powerball jackpot streak started July 22, with rollovers till the current pot. Before that, one ticket purchased in California matched the six numbers to win the Wednesday, July 19, lottery jackpot of $1.08 billion. The prize, the seventh largest jackpot in the history of Powerball and Mega Millions, has not yet been claimed.

Here's a snapshot of how the jackpot has climbed (in so short a time).

When will Powerball jackpot reach $1 billion?

If the Saturday, Sept. 30, Powerball lottery drawing rolls over, it is likely the next jackpot will top $1 billion.

When did lotto jackpots hit $1 billion or more?

As of Oct. 1, 2023, there have been nine lottery jackpots that have reached or surpassed $1 billion. Only once has a jackpot surpassed $2 billion.

Which game has had more billion-dollar jackpots, Mega Millions or Powerball?

As of Oct. 1, 2023, Mega Millions has had more jackpots surpass $1 billion.

When was the first time a lottery jackpot hit $1 billion?

Powerball made history Jan. 11, 2016, the first time a lottery jackpot hit $1 billion. After no one matched all five numbers plus the Powerball in the (Saturday) Jan. 9, 2016, drawing for $949 million, the Monday jackpot soared to $1.4 billion. (No one won that drawing either.) Powerball made history again when three tickets matched all six numbers to win $1.586 billion in the (Wednesday) Jan. 13, 2016, drawing.

The jackpot started Nov. 4, 2015, at $40 million. It had rolled over almost 30 times from Nov. 4, 2015, to Jan. 13, 2016, before three tickets from California, Tennessee and Melbourne Beach, Florida, claimed the grand prize (see below).

As of July 19, 2023, the$1.586 billion Powerball prize remains the second-largest lottery jackpot of all-time.

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Who won $1.04 billion Powerball drawing?

TBD, the next chance to play is 11 p.m. Monday, Oct. 2, 2023

Who won $1.05 billion Mega Millions drawing on Jan. 22, 2021?

A single ticket won a $1.05 billion Mega Millions jackpot on Jan. 22, 2021, in Michigan. An Oakland County lottery club, the Wolverine FLL Club, made up of four members, came forward to claim the prize, news reports show.

Fun fact: Jan. 22, 2021, is a palindromic number, when written in this style, 1/22/21, meaning the number is the same when the digits are reversed.

Who won $1.08 billion Powerball drawing on July 19, 2023?

After three months of rollovers, a single ticket was purchased in California for the July 19, 2023, Powerball drawing for $1.08 billion. Winners in California cannot remain anonymous, but they have one year from the date of the drawing to claim their prize.

There were several "second tier" winners as well. Three tickets matched five numbers plus the Power Play to win $2 million − they were purchased in Florida, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island.

There were also more than 30 tickets across the country matching the $1 million Match 5 prize. Those tickets were purchased in California (7), Florida (4), Massachusetts (3), Maryland (2), New Jersey (2), New York (5), Texas (4), and one each in Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, New Hampshire, Ohio, Wisconsin and West Virginia.

The five second-tier winning tickets from Florida were claimed, according to the Florida Lottery, but their identities remained a mystery, for now. In Florida, winners are public record, but lottery experts say there are ways to remain anonymous.

Who won $1.337 billion Mega Millions drawing on July 29, 2022?

A single ticket was purchased in Illinois for the July 29, 2022, Mega Millions drawing. Two people who wished to remain anonymous claimed the $1.337 billion jackpot.

Who won $1.35 billion Mega Millions drawing on Jan. 13, 2023?

A single ticket was purchased in Maine for the Jan. 13, 2023, Mega Millions drawing. The winner remains anonymous through a trust and accepted their winnings of $1.35 billion through the limited liability company LaKoma Island Investments LLC, according to a Feb. 22, 2023, story in USA TODAY.

Fun fact: Jan. 13, 2023, was Friday the 13th. The number 13 typically is referred to as an unlucky number, and it's associated with horror films.

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Who won $1.537 billion Mega Millions drawing on Oct. 23, 2018?

A single ticket was purchased in South Carolina for the Oct. 23, 2018, Mega Millions drawing. The $1.537 billion winner was never revealed. Winners in South Carolina can remain anonymous.

Who won $1.58 billion Mega Millions drawing on Aug. 8, 2023?

The winning ticket, worth $1.58 billion, was sold at a Publix grocery store in Neptune Beach, Florida.

The lucky winner is truly lucky. If they had bought their ticket just about 250 feet away at the new Publix next door to the one where the winning ticket was purchased, their Wednesday morning would have been $1.58 billion less exciting. The Publix where the winning ticket was purchased is the oldest Publix of the two.

The winner has 90 days to remain anonymous. That 90 days began on Sept. 25, 2023, when the prize was claimed, according to The Associated Press.

Who won $1.586 billion Powerball drawing on Jan. 13, 2016?

Three tickets purchased in California, Florida and Tennessee won the Jan. 13, 2016, Powerball drawing, splitting $1.586 billion.

In 2016, FLORIDA TODAY reported Maureen Smith and David Kaltschmidt bought their winning Powerball ticket at a Publix in Melbourne Beach. The couple waited until February 2016 to claim their share of the grand prize.

Six months after the drawing, Marvin and Mae Acosta of California claimed their Powerball winnings of $528.8 million, according to the California Lottery.

The Tennessee Lottery announced a family from Munford, Tennessee, was the third winner in the $1.586 billion Powerball jackpot. John and Lisa Robinson claimed their share of the jackpot, according to CNN.

Who won $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot?

The largest lottery prize ever climbed to $2.04 billion in November. The jackpot was an estimated $1.9 billion days before the drawing, but lottery ticket sales helped it grow to more than $2 billion after updated calculations. A single ticket purchased in California won the grand prize, and (fun fact) the winner was revealed on Valentine's Day − Feb. 14, 2023.

Edwin Castro won the largest-ever lottery jackpot, and he opted for a lump sum of $997.6 million, just shy of $1 billion, according to the California Lottery.

One big buy. Record $2 billion Powerball winner bought $25.5 million pad in Hollywood Hills, reports say

Are the odds of winning Powerball the same if the jackpot is $1 billion?

Players have a 1 in 24.9 chance of winning a prize, powerball.com states. Players have a 1 in 292.2 million chance to match all six numbers whether the jackpot is $20 million or $1 billion.

What are the odds of winning Powerball?

Powerball drawings are held at 11 p.m. EDT Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. According to Powerball.com, players have a 1 in 292.2 million chance to match all six numbers. Prizes range from $2 to the grand prize jackpot, which varies.

What are the odds of winning Mega Millions?

According to the Mega Millions website, you have a 1 in 302,575,350 chance to match all five white balls plus the gold Mega Ball. Prizes range from $2 (for matching the Mega Ball) to the grand prize jackpot, which varies.

Can Florida lottery winners remain anonymous?

According to Florida Lottery's website, winners cannot remain anonymous: "Florida law mandates that the Florida Lottery provide records containing information such as the winner's name, city of residence; game won, date won, and amount won to any third party who requests the information."

However, the site states, since May 25, 2022, the "names of lottery winners claiming prizes of $250,000 or greater will be temporarily exempt from public disclosure for 90 days from the date the prize is claimed, unless otherwise waived by the winner."

Lottery experts and lawyers have said there are ways to remain anonymous if you win.

How long does it take for a Powerball or Mega Millions lottery to reach $1 billion?

It varies depending on number of rollovers and ticket sales.

For the July 19, 2023, $1.08 billion Powerball drawing, it took almost three months and more than 30 rollovers.

For the Aug. 8, 2023, $1.58 billion Mega Millions drawing, it took almost three months and 30 rollovers.

Did you know? Florida had a lot of "second-tier" winners in July 19, 2023, Powerball drawing. Was it you?

Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network-Florida. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram at @byjensangalang. Support local journalism. Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Powerball, Mega Millions: How many billion dollar lottery jackpots?