The Biggest Lottery Wins in United States History

Rosemary Casarotti won the $1.269 billion Mega Millions jackpot in California from the December 27, 2024 drawing. Her ticket was sold at a Sunshine Food and Gas station in Cottonwood, a small community in Shasta County. The prize became one of the largest lottery jackpots ever won in California.

Because California makes lottery winners’ names public, Casarotti’s name was released, but detailed personal plans were not widely shared. A jackpot that size could mean hundreds of millions in cash before taxes, enough to buy land, homes, businesses, and long-term privacy. In a small town, it was the kind of win that could change more than one household.