The Biggest Lottery Wins in United States History

An anonymous South Carolina player won the $1.537 billion Mega Millions jackpot in 2018 after buying the ticket at a KC Mart in Simpsonville. The October 23 drawing ended a huge jackpot run, and the prize became the largest single-ticket lottery win in U.S. history at the time.

The winner chose the one-time cash option of about $877.8 million before taxes and stayed anonymous under South Carolina law. No personal plans were made public, but the financial impact was obvious. Even after taxes, the prize could buy estates, businesses, private security, and enough investments to support descendants for decades.