- The date of the $1.05 billion Mega Millions jackpot on Jan. 22, 2021, is a palindrome when written like this: 1/22/21
- The $1.35 billion Powerball jackpot was won on Friday the 13th, Jan. 13, 2023
Here's a first: Mega Millions and Powerball lottery games had billion-dollar jackpots in the same month — who would've thought?
For the eighth time in the history of Powerball and Mega Millions, a jackpot has reached $1 billion.
After three months of rollovers − from April to July − Mega Millions hit the billion-dollar mark after no one matched all five numbers plus the Mega Ball in the Friday, July 28, 2023, drawing. Two hours after the winning numbers were picked, the $940 million jackpot soared to a whopping $1.05 billion.
This next paragraph may sound like deja vu: After three months of rollovers − from April to July − Powerball hit the billion-dollar mark July 18, 2023, when no one matched all five numbers plus the Powerball in the Monday, July 17, drawing. A single ticket purchased in California eventually won Powerball on Wednesday, July 19, for $1.08 billion. The identity of the winner(s) has not been revealed as of Sept. 24, 2023.
Coincidence? Two of the U.S. lottery's biggest games reached $1 billion in jackpots in the same month in the same year stemming from rollovers that started in the same month in the same year (see the trajectory of lottery prizes for Mega Millions and Powerball below).
Quirky fun facts aboutPowerball and Mega Millions: A Friday the 13th winner and a palindrome date
Here are some things to know about Powerball winners, Mega Millions winners and those billion-dollar drawings.
In 2023, 3 Powerball and Mega Millions lottery jackpots reached $1 billion by July
In July 2023, Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots reached $1 billion in the same month for the first time in history, but seven months earlier, there was lotto frenzy surrounding the $1.35 billion Mega Millions jackpot for the Jan. 13, 2023, drawing. The winning ticket for that was purchased in Maine. The winner's identity has not been revealed.
From July 2022 to July 2023, there have been 4 lottery jackpots that reached $1 billion
In one year, Powerball jackpot surpassed the billion-dollar mark twice: On Nov. 7, 2022, the jackpot was a record-breaking $2.04 billion More than eight months later, the lottery would roll over again over 30 times for the July 19, 2023, drawing of $1.08 billion. Coincidentally, the winning tickets for each drawing were sold in California. Edwin Castro won the $2.04 billion Powerball grand prize in fall 2022 (he claimed it on Valentine's Day 2023), and the $1.08 billion Powerball winner from this month has not been revealed as of Sept 24, 2023.
In one year, Mega Millions jackpot has surpassed the billion-dollar mark twice: On Jan. 13, 2023, a single ticket from Maine claimed the $1.35 billion prize. The identity of the winner is not known. Seven months later, Mega Millions rolled over 31 times for the Aug. 8, 2023, drawing of $1.58 billion. A single ticket matched all five numbers plus the Mega Ball and was purchased from a Publix in Neptune Beach, Florida. Fun facts: Three tickets from California, (Melbourne Beach) Florida and Tennessee split the $1.586 billion Powerball jackpot from the Jan. 13, 2016, drawing. Also, Jan. 13, 2023, was Friday the 13th, which is often known as an unlucky number or reference in horror movies.
How long did it take for Mega Millions jackpot to reach $1.58 billion?
It took three months of rollovers. For Powerball, it also took less than three months of rollovers for the jackpot to reach $1 billion, the third time in the game's history. Below is a snapshot of recent drawings andhow much the Mega Millions jackpot had climbed.
The lottery frenzy seemed to gain steam around July 4th, when that drawing rolled over, it climbed $50 million overnight. Over the next few weeks, increments of $50 million to $60 million turned to $80 million and $100 million overnight. On June 30, the Mega Millions jackpot was $368 million. As of July 25, less than a month, the jackpot had grown by $452 million.
After the July 28 Mega Millions drawing rolled over, the new jackpot − Tuesday, Aug. 1 − was $1.05 billion less than two hours after the drawing. A week later, the jackpot ballooned to $1.58 billion, the largest prize in the history of the game.
Did you know? Florida hada lot of "second-tier" winners in July 19, 2023, Powerball drawing. Was it you?
- Tuesday, Aug. 8: $1.55 billion as of Aug. 6 (final ticket sales would push the jackpot to $1.58 billion)
- Friday, Aug. 4: $1.35 billion
- Tuesday, Aug. 1: $1.05 billion
- Friday, July 28: $940 million
- Tuesday, July 25: $820 million
- Friday, July 21: $720 million
- Tuesday, July 18: $640 million
- Friday, July 14: $560 million
- Tuesday, July 11: $500 million
- Friday, July 7: $450 million
- Tuesday, July 4: $400 million
- Friday, June 30: $368 million
- Tuesday, June 27: $343 million
- Friday, June 23: $320 million
- Tuesday, June 20: $300 million
- Friday, June 16: $281 million
- Tuesday, June 13: $260 million
- Friday, June 9: $240 million
- Tuesday, June 6: $218 million
- Friday, June 2: $203 million
- Tuesday, May 30: $187 million
- Friday, May 26: $169 million
- Tuesday, May 23: $150 million
- Friday, May 19: $132 million
- Tuesday, May 16: $113 million
- Friday, May 12: $99 million
- Tuesday, May 9: $83 million
- Friday, May 5: $68 million
- Tuesday, May 2: $52 million
- Friday, April 28: $38 million
- Tuesday, April 25: $26 million
- Friday, April 21: $20 million
Tick tock, tick tock ...If you won Powerball July 19, 2023, drawing, you have until this date to claim $1.08 billion
How long did it take Powerball to reach $1 billion?
It varies, based on drawings and winners. The list below shows the dates of the drawings and how much the jackpot climbed (in so short a time). It took almost three months and more than 30 rollovers. Like the Mega Millions list above, the lottery frenzy seemed to gain steam around July 5, because when that drawing rolled over, it climbed by $69 million. Over the next few weeks, increments of $60 million to $70 million turned to $75 million and $100 million overnight. On July 1, the Powerball jackpot was $493 million and by July 19, it grew to $1.08 billion.
- Wednesday, July 19: $1.08 billion
- Monday, July 17: $900 million
- Saturday, July 15: $875 million
- Wednesday, July 12: $750 million
- Monday, July 10: $675 million
- Saturday, July 8: $615 million
- Wednesday, July 5: $546 million
- Monday, July 3: $522 million
- Saturday, July 1: $493 million
- Wednesday, June 28: $462 million
- Monday, June 26: $440 million
- Saturday, June 24: $427 million
- Wednesday, June 21: $400 million
- Monday, June 19, Juneteenth: $380 million
- Saturday, June 17: $366 million
- Wednesday, June 14: $340 million
- Monday, June 12: $324 million
- Saturday, June 10: $308 million
- Wednesday, June 7: $285 million
- Monday, June 5: $269 million
- Saturday, June 3: $262 million
- Wednesday, May 31: $239 million
- Monday, May 29, Memorial Day: $226 million
- Saturday, May 27: $211 million
- Wednesday, May 24: $190 million
- Monday, May 22: $179 million
- Saturday, May 20: $162 million
- Wednesday, May 17: $146 million
- Monday, May 15: $135 million
- Saturday, May 13: $125 million
- Wednesday, May 10: $109 million
- Monday, May 8: $97 million
- Saturday, May 6: $87 million
- Wednesday, May 3: $71 million
- Monday, May 1: $60 million
- Saturday, April 29: $51 million
- Wednesday, April 26: $37 million
- Monday, April 24: $28 million
Who won $1.08 billion Powerball drawing on Wednesday, July 19, 2023?
After a series of rollovers dating back to April 22, Powerball jackpotfinallyhit $1 billion for the Wednesday, July 19, drawing. However, a single ticket in California matched all six numbers to win the grand prize of $1.08 billion, and 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.
When did lotto jackpots hit $1 billion or more?
As of Sept. 24, 2023, there have been eight lottery jackpots that have reached or surpassed $1 billion. Only one time did a U.S. lottery jackpot surpass $2 billion. At least three of the billion-dollar prizes had winners from California.
- 8.$1.05 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 22, 2021: A single ticket won in Michigan.
- 7.$1.08 billion, Powerball, July 19, 2023: A single ticket won in California.
- 6.$1.337 billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022: A single ticket won in Illinois.
- 5.$1.35 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 13, 2023: A single ticket was purchased in Maine.
- 4.$1.537 billion, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018: A single ticket won in South Carolina.
- 3. $1.58 billion, Mega Millions, Aug. 8, 2023: A single ticket won in Neptune Beach, Florida.
- 2.$1.586 billion, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016: Three tickets won from California, Florida, Tennessee.
- 1.$2.04 billion, Powerball, Nov. 7, 2022: A single ticket won in California.
Which lottery game has had more jackpots reach $1 billion, Mega Millions or Powerball?
As of Sept. 24, 2023, Mega Millions has had more jackpots surpass $1 billion, with five. Powerball jackpots have hit $1 billion three times in the history of the game.
Which state has had the most billion-dollar winners?
Three winning tickets for three different billion-dollar jackpots were sold in California.
Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network-Florida. Follow her onTwitteror Instagram at@byjensangalang. Support local journalism.Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper.
