The Mega Millions jackpot will soon reach $1 billion if no winner is drawn Friday night.
The current jackpot has made the list of top-10 largest jackpots in lottery history at $977 million with a cash option of $461 million after Tuesday's draw.
Theodorus Struyck, a 65-year-old California resident who goes by Theo, recently claimed the second-largest jackpot in history at $1.765 billion, USA TODAY previously reported. Someone out of Florida won the largest Mega Millions jackpot in history in August, a $1.602 billion dollar prize, but has yet to come forward to claim it.
It's interesting to see which states have produced the most winning tickets. Sometimes luck lies in the most unexpected places.
Here are the top 10 lottery winners of all time, their earnings and where they are on the map.
State: California
Game: Powerball
Amount won: $2.04 billion
Date of drawing: Nov. 7, 2022
Edwin Castro of Altadena, California matched the winning numbers for the Nov. 7, 2022, Powerball drawing, claiming his prize on Valentine's Day 2023, Florida Today, a part of the USA TODAY network, reported.
Castro, who purchased his winning ticket at Joe's Service Center in Altadena, chose the lump sum of $997.6 million. After taxes, he walked away with $628.5 million.
State: California
Game: Powerball
Amount won: $1.765 billion
Date of drawing: October 2023
Struyck was a part of a group of winners who purchased a ticket at Midway Market in Frazier Park. Struyck is the only one to come forward to claim the cash.
States: California, Tennessee, Florida
Game: Powerball
Amount won: $1.5864 billion
Date of drawing: Jan. 13, 2016
Marvin and Mae Acosta of California, John and Lisa Robinson of Tennessee and Maureen Smith and David Kaltschmidt of Florida split a $1.5864 billion Powerball prize in 2016, USA TODAY previously reported.
The Robinsons bought their winning ticket at Naifeh's Food Market in Memphis, the Kaltschmidts purchased theirs at a Publix in Melbourne Beach, and the Acosta's purchased theirs at a 7-Eleven in Chino Hills.
State: Florida
Game: Mega Millions
Amount won: $1.58 billion
Date of drawing: Aug. 8, 2023
Saltines Holdings LLC from Miami claimed the $1.58 billion prize from the Aug. 8, 2023, draw, according to previous reporting.
The winning ticket was purchased at a Publix grocery store in Neptune Beach.
State: South Carolina
Game: Mega Millions
Amount won: $1.537 billion
Date of drawing: Oct. 23, 2018
One lucky individual from South Carolina won $1.537 billion from the Mega Million's Oct. 23, 2018 draw.
The winning ticket was purchased at KC Mart #7 in Simpsonville near Greenville, USA TODAY previously reported. In South Carolina, the winner may keep his or her name private after confirming the win with the state.
State: Maine
Game: Mega Millions
Amount won: $1.348 billion
Date of drawing: Jan. 13, 2023
An individual from Maine won the Jan. 13, 2023 Mega Millions jackpot but remains unidentified due to the fact that the state doesn't require lottery winners to reveal their identities. The individual accepted their $1.348 billion prize through the limited liability company LaKoma Island Investments, LLC, USA TODAY previously reported.
Their winning ticket was purchased the ticket at Hometown Gas & Grill in Lebanon.
State: Illinois
Game: Mega Millions
Amount won: $1.337 billion
Date of drawing: July 29, 2022
An individual in Illinois became $1.337 billion richer after purchasing a winning Mega Millions ticket at a Speedway gas station and convenience store in Des Plaines, USA TODAY previously reported.
Winners of jackpots $250,000 or more may request their names and cities be kept confidential, according to the lottery's website.
State: California
Game: Powerball
Amount won: $1.0798 billion
Date of drawing: July 19, 2023
A winner who remains unidentified won the July 19, 2023, Powerball drawing after purchasing their winning ticket at Las Palmitas Mini Market in downtown Los Angeles, USA TODAY previously reported.
The individual who won the $1.0798 billion prize is required to disclose their identify to the state, but the state of California has not yet published their name.
State: Michigan
Game: Mega Millions
Amount won: $1.05 billion
Date of drawing: Jan. 22, 2021
Four people from an Oakland County lottery club split the Mega Millions prize and chose the lump sum, according to the Palm Beach Post, a part of the USA TODAY network. The names of the four members of the Wolverine FLL Club were not released.
The winning ticket to the $1.05 billion jackpot was purchased at a Kroger grocery store in the Detroit suburb of Novi.
State: Michigan
Game: Powerball
Amount won: $842.4 million
Date of drawing: Jan. 1, 2024
An unidentified person in Michigan is $842.4 million richer after purchasing the winning ticket for the Jan. 1 Powerball draw from a Food Castle in Grand Blanc, according to previous reporting.
The winner matched all six balls in the New Year's Day drawing and chose the cash option of $425.2 million.
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