So, who are the biggest lottery winners in the USA? The United States has two of the richest lotteries in the world – US Powerball and Mega Millions. So as you might expect lottery winners in the USA win BIG! Here are the biggest lottery winners in the USA.
1. $1.5 billion – Powerball – 2015
The biggest lottery win ever was a $1.5 billion US Powerball jackpot held earlier this year. The prize money was shared by three ticket holders out of whom only one person has so far revealed himself. The winning tickets were sold in Munford, Tennessee; Chino Hills, California and Melbourne Beach, Florida. The owner of the shop that sold the winning lottery ticket in Chino Hills was given a $1 million bonus for his efforts.
2. $656 million Mega Millions – 2012
Until recently, this $656 million Mega Millions jackpot of 2012 was the biggest jackpot of all time. The prize was shared between three ticket holders. Among the winners were a retired couple from Illinois, Patricia Butler and Merle Butler. Merle and Patricia have always insisted that they were ordinary people who were lucky to hit big and said that they would be using the money to do some real good. Another group that won was a group of friends who call themselves “Three Amigos.” They have remained anonymous so far. Nobody knows about the third winner.
3. $648 million – Mega Millions – 2013
The third biggest jackpot ever was a Mega Millions jackpot that was worth $648 million. It was shared by two ticket holders – Ira Curry, a woman from Georgia and Steve Tran, a former delivery driver. Tran talks about what he told his boss after winning the big lottery: “I hit the jackpot. I don’t think I’m going to come in today, tomorrow, or ever.”
4. $590.5 million – Powerball – 2013
The fourth biggest jackpot was a Powerball lottery worth $590.5 million won by a kindly old woman, Gloria Mackenzie of Florida. The 84-year old great-grandmother says that another lottery player let her go ahead of him in line to purchase the winning ticket, in deference to her age. Well, the man must be ruing his act of kindness even today!
5. $587.5 million – Powerball – 2012
The 2012 Powerball jackpot was worth $587.5 million and was shared by two ticket holders. Mathew Good was one of the winners and the other winners were a couple from Missouri, Cindy and Mark Hill. Cindy and Mark talked about their plans to take their young daughter to the beach and buy her a horse and also buy a red Camaro for Mark.
6. $564 million – Powerball – 2015
The 2015 Powerball jackpot worth $564 million was shared by three ticket holders, one of whom was Marie Holmes, a single mother of four children. Marie spoke about her plans to provide for her children, including one who has cerebral palsy. But she has landed into a bit of a controversy lately, after having spent over $20 million of her winnings to post bail for her boyfriend, who has been accused of drug trafficking. Marie has been attacked severely by critics who predict that she will run out of her wealth pretty soon for making the wrong choices.
7. $448.4 million – Powerball – 2013
This Powerball jackpot, worth $448.4 million was won by a group of 16 survivors of Superstorm Sandy that hit America in 2012. The group had lost everything in the hurricane, so the jackpot win has helped them to reestablish their lives. The second winner was a Minnesota based project engineer and the third and final ticket holder was a 70 year old gentleman from New Jersey.
8. $425.3 million – Powerball – 2014
The 2014 Powerball, worth $425.3 million was won by a retired gentleman from California, B. Raymond Buxton. He plans to use the winnings to give away to charities and to travel.
9. $414 million – Mega Millions – 2014
The ninth biggest lottery prize in the USA was a Mega Millions jackpot worth $414 million won by a Florida based couple, Raymond Moyer and Robyn Collier and another anonymous person.
10. $399.4 million – Powerball – 2013
The Powerball jackpot of $399.4 million won in 2013 rounds off our list of top lottery wins in the USA. It was won by someone in South Carolina who has preferred to remain anonymous.
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