Record Lottery Jackpots

Table of Contents:

• POWERBALL: CURRENT RECORD JACKPOT HOLDER
• MEGAMILLIONS: SECOND BIGGEST JACKPOT WON
• EUROMILLIONS: LEADING EUROPE'S JACKPOTS
• EUROJACKPOT: THE VIKING WARRIOR 
• LARGEST ONLINE LOTTERY WIN
• SUPERENALOTTO: THE ITALIAN STALLION
• EL GORDO: THE BIGGEST HEAVYWEIGHT LOTTERY IN THE WORLD
• STEP INSIDE THE RING
• FAQ : WORLD’S BIGGEST LOTTERIES

 

It all comes down to this, a trans-Atlantic grudge fight – Europe versus the USA. We've got some hard-hitting jackpots, heavy-duty all-rounders, one seriously steel-jawed lotto from Italy and, to round off this gladiatorial deathmatch, we have The Spaniard – a real tough hombre that's so enormous he can easily grapple with all the other contenders at the same time.

Before taking a closer look at each lottery, here's a table with the record jackpots of each lottery:

So, who will come out on top? Well, as a referee the ultimate decision lies on you. Just remember, it's not just about the high jackpots, you'll also be judging on additional prize tiers and winning odds!

POWERBALL: CURRENT RECORD JACKPOT HOLDER

Powerball remains the undisputed champion of global lottery jackpots, holding the current world record with a staggering $2.04 billion win on 8th November 2022. The winning ticket was sold in California and belonged to Edwin Castro, who opted to go public — a rare move among US winners.

The winning numbers were 10, 33, 41, 47, 56 and Powerball 10. Castro chose the lump sum payout of $997.6 million (before taxes).

With odds of 1 in 292,201,338, this US giant might be a tough one to beat, but with nine prize tiers and draws every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday, it’s one of the best lotteries to bet on if you're chasing the biggest wins.

• Record Jackpot: $2.040 billion (approx. £1.79 billion)
• Jackpot Odds: 1 in 292,201,338
• Overall Prize Odds: 1 in 25
• Prize Tiers: 9

 

Tier 1 winning bets on PowerBall are paid out as 30 year annuity or discounted lump sum at Lottoland’s election, and Tiers 1 – 3 also subject to 38% reduction as per T&C's.

MEGAMILLIONS: SECOND BIGGEST JACKPOT WON

MegaMillions comes in just behind Powerball with a jaw-dropping $1.602 billion win on 8th August 2023 — the biggest jackpot in the game’s history.

The winning ticket was sold at a Publix supermarket in Neptune Beach, Florida. The winner, who chose to remain anonymous, claimed their prize as a one-time lump sum payment of approximately $794.2 million. The winning numbers were 13, 19, 20, 32, 33 and Mega Ball 14.

Draws take place every Tuesday and Friday, and the game offers nine prize tiers — just like Powerball.

• Record Jackpot: $1.602 billion (approx. £1.253 million)
• Jackpot Odds: 1 in 290,000,000
• Overall Prize Odds: 1 in 23
• Prize Tiers: 9

 

Tier 1 winning bets on MegaMillions are paid out as 30 year annuity or discounted lump sum at Lottoland’s election, and Tiers 1 – 3 also subject to 38% reduction as per T&C's.

EUROMILLIONS: LEADING EUROPE'S JACKPOTS

EuroMillions set its current record on 28th March 2025, when a player in Austria scooped a historic €250 million jackpot — the biggest ever seen in the game.

It was Austria's second record win in 15 months, and the lucky winner bought four tips online for just €10. The fourth line turned out to be the golden ticket. The winning numbers were 10, 21, 30, 42, and 45  and Lucky Stars 1 and 9.

Lottoland offers Millionaire which has the same structure and winning odds as EuroMillions, so why not give it a go! 

• Record Jackpot: €250 Million (approx. £213 million) 
• Jackpot Odds: 1 in 139,838,160
• Overall Prize Odds: 1 in 13
• Prize Tiers: 13

EUROJACKPOT: THE VIKING WARRIOR

EuroJackpot is one of Europe’s biggest lotteries, giving UK players the chance to bet on huge jackpots of up to €120 million. On 6th December 2024, EuroJackpot reached its record-high jackpot of €120 million (approx. £102 million). The winning ticket was sold in Germany and was shared between two lucky winners, each receiving €60 million. The winning numbers were 8, 14, 45, 47, 50 and EuroNumbers 2 and 12. ​

This marked the seventh time EuroJackpot has reached its cap of €120 million since the limit was increased from €90 million in March 2022. 

Draws take place every Tuesday and Friday, and EuroJackpot is played across 18 European countries.

• Record Jackpot: €120,000,000 (approx. £105 million) 
• Jackpot Odds: 1 in 139,838,160
• Overall Prize Odds: 1 in 32
• Prize Tiers: 12

LARGEST ONLINE LOTTERY WIN

In the summer of 2018, with just her second-ever Lottoland bet, 36-year-old cleaner Christina won an incredible €90 million (£79 million) jackpot betting on the outcome of EuroJackpot which made it to the record books!

Although less well-known in the UK, EuroJackpot is Europe’s second most popular lottery draw and takes place every Friday night in Helsinki.

Choosing 5 numbers from 1-50 and 2 further numbers from 1-10, Christina won the lotto’s maximum jackpot after effortlessly placing a bet on her phone. Little did she know that she would soon be winning the world’s largest-ever payout for a bet made online. Read more about Christina's record win at Lottoland!

SUPERENALOTTO: THE ITALIAN STALLION

Standing proud and defiantly independent we have the Italian lottery, SuperEnalotto. This Italian Stallion enjoys the distinction of having the largest jackpots of any national lottery in the world. He's also the world's toughest lotto, more than any other lottery the odds are really stacked against you. So be careful, stepping into the ring with him is not for lightweights! But for those who have the courage, the potential rewards are huge. 

On Thursday 16th February 2023, history was made when one lottery ticket hit the magical combination of 1, 38, 47, 52 56 and 66 hitting the SuperEnalotto record jackpot of €371 million! The lucky winner had purchased a 'board of systems' from Sisal that included 90 shares sold nationwide! With the Jolly being 72 and SuperStar 23 also adding to their luck.

The current record jackpot of €371 million far exceeds the trans-national lottery EuroJackpot and the European EuroMillions jackpot. The Italian lottery, therefore, remains a great option to bet on due to its enormous prizes! 

• Record Jackpot: €371 million (approx. £328.8 million)
• Jackpot Odds: 1 in 622,614,630
• Overall Prize Odds: 1 in 327
• Prize Tiers: 6

EL GORDO: THE BIGGEST HEAVYWEIGHT LOTTERY IN THE WORLD

In terms of prize payouts, Spain's gargantuan El Gordo Christmas Lottery is the reigning champion with an annual prize pool worth billions. Since 1812, El Gordo has been delighting Spaniards and enchanting lottery fans around the world. In 2021, El Gordo paid out a total of £2.1 billion in prizes – which, I think you'll agree, is a staggering amount of money. And it gets even better! This year the prize pool has increased to an astonishing €2.5 billion (£2.2 billion)!

The reason for El Gordo's immense size is simple – Spaniards go absolutely loco for this lottery each Christmas. Indeed, you'll be hard-pressed to find a person in Spain who doesn't enter El Gordo at Christmas time. The 22nd December draw of the Spanish Christmas Lottery, or Sorteo Extraordinario de Navidad, is like a national event. Spaniards stay glued to their screens awaiting the announcement of "El Gordo" or "the fat one" – the biggest prize of them all.

Unlike the other contestants in this event, El Gordo is a raffle, rather than a lotto. Tickets for the main draw (or betslips at Lottoland) are printed in series of 180 so many people will end up with the same numbers. Also, a full ticket costs £249.99 and consists of multiple "tenths" which is why friends and family members tend to form mini syndicates where the price of a full ticket, and any subsequent wins, are equally split.

Of course, the El Gordo Christmas lottery, like Christmas itself, only comes once a year!

• Max Prize Pool: €2.5 billion (£2.2 billion)
• El Gordo Total Prize: €720 million (approx. £631 million)
• El Gordo Individual Prize: €4 million (approx. £3.67 million)
• Jackpot Odds: 1 in 100,000
• Prize Tiers: 17

STEP INSIDE THE RING

So, have you got what it takes to go up against the biggest lotteries in the world? The odds may be stacked against you but the rewards if you win are astronomical. Don't forget every week underdog contenders take on these lottery titans and achieve the seemingly impossible - so touch gloves, return to your corner, and at the sound of the bell pick your winning numbers! DING! DING!

FAQ : World's Biggest Lotteries 

Last updated: 22nd April April 2025