Thirty-five years of climb and reset
3,841 Powerball drawings since 1992-04-22 and 1,722 Mega Millions drawings, every one of them a jackpot that climbed until somebody won. Powerball's figures are settled; Mega Millions' are advertised.
The Mega Millions record here begins 2010-02-02. The game itself started 2002-05-17 — 95 jackpots were won before this record picks up.
Two games, side by side
The only place the two run against each other — same years, same dollars, one chart.
- $2.04B · 2022-11-07 · Powerball's high
- $1.6B · 2018-10-23 · Mega Millions' high
Each point is the biggest jackpot of its week — 863 weeks of Powerball, 861 of Mega Millions.
- $2.04B · 2022-11-07 · Powerball's high
- $1.58B · 2023-08-08 · Mega Millions' high
Every drawing, five years: 782 Powerball and 519 Mega Millions.
- $1.82B · 2025-12-24 · Powerball's high
- $1.22B · 2024-12-27 · Mega Millions' high
Every drawing, two years: 314 Powerball and 206 Mega Millions.
What a jackpot is worth in cash
The cash share rose for two decades — 52.9% in 1997, peaking at 79.1% in 2020 — and has fallen back to 45.2% since.
Two things move it: the rates the annuity is priced at, and changes to the annuity's own shape.
- 25 payments become 30 · 2002-10-09 · announced 2002-10-06
- The 30 payments start rising each year · 2005-08-31 · announced 2005-08-28
- The Mega Millions record begins · 2010-02-02 · announced 2010-02-02
- New Mega Millions matrix · 2025-04-08 · announced 2025-04-04
Each point is that year's median cash share, per game. The two are never pooled.
1997 is 17 drawings across 9 weeks — the cash option only began 1997-11-05.
No 30-year Treasury was issued in 2003, 2004, and 2005, but this line is measured from drawings and never consults the yield, so those years are plotted like any other.
2020s
2010s
2000s
1990s
Estimates for entertainment purposes, not tax advice. Your actual outcome depends on your full tax situation. After-tax figures use today’s federal and state rates on every row, including drawings from decades ago, so they are not what that year’s winner kept. Someday does not sell lottery tickets and is not affiliated with Powerball, Mega Millions, or any state lottery.