These states have the most big lottery wins. Is Michigan a lucky spot?
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As February gets underway, the year’s big lotteries are off to a slow start as only one jackpot winner has been crowned between Powerball and Mega Millions, and if you’re playing in Michigan you may have to wait a while before cashing in.
According to Powerball and Mega Millions, Michigan players have had far more luck with the more expensive lottery game, placing in the top five among states with the most Mega Millions winners. Michigan ranks much lower among Powerball jackpot wins, but Michigan has only taken part since 2010.
Here are some of the luckiest U.S. states to play the lottery.
What was the most recent lottery jackpot?
Through Feb. 6, the only jackpot win came on Jan. 22, when a ticket sold in North Carolina matched all six numbers to claim a $209 million Powerball jackpot. The winner chose the lump-sum payout of $95.3 million, taking home $68.6 million after federal and state taxes.
Following the win, the Powerball jackpot was reset and now sits at $102 million and continues to rise.
Mega Millions has been on a longer dry spell as its top prize is now $346 million, with no winner since December, when a New Jersey ticket holder scored the $90 million jackpot.The odds of winning the lottery are extremely low, but some states hit the jackpots more often than others.
According to the Powerball, almost 200 jackpots have been hit since the lottery began back on April 22, 1992. Forty-eight different lotteries participate in the Powerball, with five states not offering it: Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada, and Utah.
Out of the participating states, four states (Maine, Mississippi, North Dakota, and Wyoming) and the Virgin Islands have yet to have a winner.
- Indiana – 39
- Missouri – 32
- Minnesota – 22
- Pennsylvania – 20
- Wisconsin – 19
- Kentucky – 19
- Louisiana – 17
- Florida – 17
- California – 17
- Arizona – 14
How have Michigan Powerball players fared?
Six jackpot tickets have been sold in Michigan. The lottery has been played since 1992, but Michigan did not join until 2010.
The largest jackpot in the state, and eighth-largest overall, was from January 2024 when a mid-Michigan husband and wife, who called themselves the Breakfast Club, claimed an $842 million prize (taking the cash, which reduced it to about $425 million or $305 million after they paid all their taxes).
Beginning in 1996 with only six states participating, the Mega Millions has grown to be played in 45 states, plus Washington, D.C., and the Virgin Islands. According to the lottery, five states (Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada and Utah) do not offer the Mega Millions, while Mississippi only began selling tickets in 2020.
Out of the states that participate in the drawing, only 28 have had players lucky enough to win the jackpot. The largest Mega Millions jackpot was won in Florida back in 2023, when one player took home $1.602 billion.
- New York – 43
- California – 35
- New Jersey – 25
- Ohio – 21
- Michigan – 18
- Georgia – 17
- Illinois – 16
- Texas – 15
- Maryland – 11
- Virginia – 10
Michigan’s most recent, and largest Mega Millions jackpot win was $1.05 billion — $776.6 million lump sum — on Jan. 22, 2021, but the winners chose to remain anonymous. The group of four, calling themselves the Wolverine FLL Club of Oakland County, had their representative claim the prize on their behalf. They purchased the winning ticket at the Kroger at 47650 Grand River Ave.
The club opted to receive the lump sum payment of about $776 million instead of annuity payments for the full amount. According to the Michigan Lottery, “after required income tax withholdings of 24% federal tax (about $186 million) and 4.25% state tax (about $33 million), the club received about $557 million.”
This content is sourced from www.lansingstatejournal.com and is shared for informational purposes only.
