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Lottery Statistics 2024 – Reveal Shocking Facts About Lotto Winners

Have you ever wondered what the statistics say about lottery winners? For example, is it important in which state you play the lotto ticket? And how do those that are lucky enough to win jackpots change?

In this article, we are focusing on the most intriguing lottery statistics. We’ll discuss trends in various lotteries but also focus on lotto winners. Our article will reveal shocking facts about how their lives change after landing the jackpot. If you are ready to discover impressive information, check out the statistics we found below!

What State Has the Most Lottery Winners?

The United States can brag that they have two arguably the most popular lotteries in the world. That’s understandable because these games offer the highest jackpots from all lotteries available. We are talking about US Powerball and MegaMillions, which both have a guaranteed jackpot fund of $40 million. That sum often went up, and there were times when people won over $500 million.

If we count only the biggest winners in these two lotteries, we conclude that Indiana and California top the list with 41 jackpot wins. 

Here is the top-ten list of states with the most lottery winners:

Top 10 States With the Most Lottery Winners

If you take a closer look at the statistics, you realize Indiana and California both had a huge majority of winnings at a single lottery. In Indiana, there were 39 Powerball winners and 2 MegaMillions jackpots. As for California, 32 out of 41 grand prizes were in MegaMillions.

What States Have Won the Powerball and MegaMillions Jackpots?

You are now familiar with the states that top the list of lottery winners, so let’s get a closer look at each game. Do all states have lotto jackpot winners? 

The answer is no, but that wouldn’t even be possible. Some states consider lotto games illegal, and others don’t have the two biggest lotteries available on their territories. Here is a detailed analysis of the states where players who won the biggest jackpots reside!

Powerball – Winners by State

If you are aiming for a Powerball jackpot win, the statistics say you should move to Indiana. That state had 39 jackpots in 27 years of US Powerball, which is impressive. Some other states that keep the rate at over one jackpot per year include Missouri (31 in 27 years) and Pennsylvania (18 in 17 years).

Now, let’s take a look at the table of all Powerball jackpots and the states where they were won:

Powerball Winners By State

Here are some major trends we noticed based on the table above:

  • There is a huge gap between the first and second and second and third states.
  • Five states still don’t have a jackpot – Maine, U.S. Virgin Islands, Wyoming, Vermont, and North Dakota.
  • It doesn’t matter if you buy tickets in South or North Carolina. Both states have an identical number of jackpot winners.

MegaMIllons – Winners by State

US MegaMillions is another extremely popular game because it offers attractive jackpots. Two draws per week give you plenty of chances to win. It’s not easy to win the jackpots, but those who purchased tickets in New York did that on 37 occasions.

Here is an overview of winners by state:

MegaMillions Winners By State

As for the main conclusions from the table of winners, here is what we concluded:

  • Only two states have more than 30 MegaMillions winners
  • New York and California have more winners than all states from the eighth to the 25th spot on the list.
  • Eight states only have a single jackpot winner.

Top 5 Highest Jackpots in the World

If you take a look at the largest jackpot wins ever, you realize that all of them were won in only two games. And once again, we circle back to Powerball and MegaMillions. Those are the most popular lotteries with the largest jackpot funds, and it’s only understandable they issued the highest rewards.

Here is an overview of the top prizes in the history of lotto gaming:

Top Prizes in History of Lotto Gaming

Most Jackpot Winners in a Single Draw

It’s hard to find exact statistics on most jackpot winners in a single draw. There isn’t enough information available from worldwide lotteries, which makes it hard to portray accurate information.

However, we made some assumptions based on the statistics that we found:

  • Spanish El Gordo probably takes the top spot when it comes to most winners winning a single jackpot. The lotto has a fixed jackpot of €4 million for the holiday draw. Depending on the session, it happens that up to 180 tickets win that prize.
  • In 1995, a total of 133 tickets won the UK National Lottery jackpot. The estimations are that each won around $150K.
  • The biggest win that was split occurred in 2016 on US Powerball. A total of three tickets (all three were couples!) split $1.58 billion. That’s also the biggest lotto jackpot ever.

Top 5 Highest Unclaimed Jackpots

Can you imagine anything worse than winning a lotto jackpot but missing an opportunity to claim it? Most people lost their lotto tickets, but you also have those who simply missed the deadline for claiming the lottery winnings.

Here are the top five highest unclaimed jackpots ever:

Top 5 Highest Unclaimed Jackpot

You can discover more about unclaimed lottery tickets in our article dedicated to that topic.

EuroMillions Statistics – What You Should Know

For a long time, EuroMillions had a €190 million jackpot cap. That means the prize increased up to that sum, but in that session, that sum is distributed to either jackpot winners or the next reward tier. Due to the rule change, the current maximum prize increased. In December 2020, a lucky player won €207.2 million, which is this game’s record.

Another interesting fact is that France and the United Kingdom currently share the top spot for most EuroMillions jackpots. These countries have 110 winners each, while Spain has 107 lucky players who won the main prize. That means 327 out of 503 jackpots (65.1%) went to these three countries. All other countries (Portugal, Belgium, Switzerland, Ireland, Austria, and Luxembourg) only won on 34.9% of occasions.

EuroJackpot Statistics – What You Should Know

EuroJackpot is another European lottery that’s quite popular on this continent. Its maximum jackpot is €90 million, which is not as generous as on EuroMillions. However, it’s still a sum that can change your life.

We tried to search for the most interesting statistics on EuroJackpot, and here is what we found:

  • The average number of rollovers is 5.07, which means the odds of consecutive jackpots being drawn are slim.
  • Numbers between 1 and 20 are most frequently drawn in this game. They take the top spot with 40.9%, while numbers from 21 and 40 have a 39.6% frequency. As for numbers from 41 to 60, they only have a 19.5% frequency, which is significantly lower.
  • The most common consecutive pair is 24 and 25, but even those numbers were only drawn together nine times. That leads us to the conclusion that consecutive pairs aren’t frequent in this game.

Statistics and Facts About Lottery Winners

It’s time to move on to statistics and facts about lottery winners. People who won lotto jackpots have been the topic of numerous researches, which discovered intriguing findings. Check out some discoveries that impressed us the most!

Do the Lottery Winners Continue to Work?

If you focus on a study conducted by Gallup, you’ll see that the Americans wouldn’t give up on their job easily if they won the lottery. The research reveals that 31% would quit their job, while 69% would agree to continue working. It’s worth noting the statistics include those who would keep their job or switch to a new position. Two out of three Americans who said they’d continue working said that they would stay in the same position, while others would switch things up.

As expected, the results of the survey depended on the age range and education. Here are the main conclusions:

  • Only 18% of those aged between 18 and 34 would stop working completely.
  • 49% of those aged over 55 said they would quit their job, while only 10% would change careers or job posts.
  • That indicates people are more ready to quit their job and retire as they get older. It also shows that younger adults are prepared to continue working, but a big portion of them would agree to change careers.

It’s interesting to note that 51% of the post-graduates would stay in their current job. It indicates they are most content with their current posts. However, 50% of those with high-school or less education also said they are happy with their current position. 

Although this survey is interesting, the researchers asked people what they would do if they won the lottery. However, that doesn’t necessarily have to be true, which is why we searched for data about actual lotto winners.

Jackpot Size Can Affect Whether You Choose to Stop Working

Camelot Group sponsored research in 2006 that analyzed if the lottery winners changed their occupations. The survey discovered that 19% of those who won less than £1 million on average agreed to keep their current job. However, those who won over £1.9 million on average changed their jobs on more occasions. Every third person who won that much is now either self-employed or works at another position.

Changes in Occupation, age and lottery win

As for those who stopped working, the statistics show their average win was at least £2.6 million. That shows people feel they should have more money in their bank accounts to stop working. From that group, 34% of them had an average age of 55, and they officially retired. Every fourth person declared that they aren’t working anymore (average age 44), while 9% of women with the average age of 29 decided to become housewives.

Some other statistics indicate that only 10% of lottery winners buy business while 12% invest or establish a new company. The majority (54%) chooses to invest in shares and stocks.

How Often Do Lotto Winners Take Holidays?

If you are a lottery jackpot winner, the assumption is you can do pretty much anything you want. Some people decide to continue working, but do they go on holidays more often? Also, are lotto winners more eager to travel?

According to statistics, lottery prize winners make sure to have at least one holiday a year. Even those who never went on a holiday now make sure that they go on vacation occasionally.

Holiday Frequency

The statistics are clear – even 35% of lottery winners go on four or more holidays per year. That’s because they can afford it and (usually) don’t have to worry whether they’ll lose their jobs. Furthermore, 94% of people who win the lottery take at least two holidays per year. For comparison, only 56% of those who haven’t won the lottery go on two or more holidays yearly. 

It is evident that lottery winners can enjoy more vacations and days off than “regular” people. But what about the destinations?

Destinations

You’d be surprised that not many people leave their continent. The same study of the WDOH indicates that focuses on the UK show less than 40% went to North America. The statistics also show that around 20% visited Africa and Australasia, while less than 10% headed to America. However, the majority was focused on domestic tourism and touring Europe. So, lottery winners might have more frequent vacations, but they don’t go to distant destinations that often.

Are Lottery Jackpot Winners Still Living in the Same Houses?

The numbers never lie, and they say that only 36% of lottery winners stay in the same house where they lived before the win. It’s understandable because the majority wants to upgrade. Some move because they don’t appreciate the visits and mail where acquaintances and other people beg for money.

Housing

According to the WDOH study, most winners move to detached housing. It’s understandable because it provides privacy and that piece of luxury lotto winners need and can afford. For comparison, 68% of lotto winners live in detached homes, which is more than three times as much as the national average (21%). It’s worth noting that some winners stay to live in a flat, but most won modest sums or still didn’t find the right house to buy.

Are People Who Win the Lottery Happier?

It only sounds logical to assume that lottery winners will be happier after winning the jackpot. Money isn’t everything in life, but it can secure things that contribute to overall happiness.
Do Lottery Winners Feel Happier

The statistics confirm that lotto winners are happier than before because 76% of them confirmed it. According to players who landed jackpots, it’s the financial security that’s behind their reason to be happy. It sounds understandable because they feel they have enough money for years to come, which is usually not the case without a lottery win. The majority also loves that they can spend more time with family and purchase items they like.

It’s interesting to note 54% of those who feel happy say they don’t feel as much pressure as before. However, those who revealed they are less happy than before the lottery win put pressure as the main reason for their unhappiness. Although only 3% say they don’t feel that happy, all of them agree it’s the pressure that got to them. Finally, each fifth lotto winner revealed the jackpot made no difference because they were already happy. If you ask us, we take our hats off to such a positive approach to life.

Here are some other findings related to the happiness of lotto winners:

  • 85% of lotto winners said they are satisfied or very satisfied with their lives.
  • The happiness levels were similar from retired and unemployed players to managers and senior officials.
  • The jackpot size has a lot to do with the happiness level. Those who won over £3 million felt a lot happier than those who won less than £2 million.
  • The more years go by, the happier lottery winners feel. The statistics indicate the average life satisfaction score jumps from an average of 25 to an average of over 30 after eight years pass from the win. However, the happiness levels do drop a little with age.

Does Winning the Lottery Change a Person’s Political Views?

Another interesting study speaks about the potential of the lottery win to affect the person’s political views. It focuses on those who voted for the conservative (right) option and shows interesting findings.

Figure 1

Source: Warwick Economic Research Papers

The first thing we see is that conservatives enjoy higher support in those who won over £500. According to researchers, 45% of those who won large sums voted for the right option. The numbers decrease to 41% for those who won between £1 and £499 and come to about 38% in those who never reported a lottery win.

Another intriguing discovery is that lottery wins can lead to switchers. Those are people who change their vote and give it to another party.

figure 2

Source: Warwick Economic Research Papers

The same paper indicates that 18% of those with large wins switch to support the conservative parties. It happens less with those with small wins (14%) and even less with those who don’t play or didn’t win at the lottery (13%). The conclusion is that winning more money on the lottery might indicate you’ll be more inclined towards the right option when the voting time comes.

Most Lottery Winners Lose At Least Some Friends

You might want to keep your old life after winning the lottery, but the truth is things have to change. It’s not the money that will change you, but you might adjust some habits. People around you will react, which can lead to losing friends.

Furthermore, 90% of players who won the jackpot said they lost at least some friends. Some because they moved from the current location, others because they didn’t give them as much money as expected. They say lotto win can help you to see the true colors of people around you. That seems to be true because most lottery winners don’t keep the same circle of friends after landing the jackpot.

Do Lottery Winners Gain Weight?

You can find information about people who won the lottery that started drinking, gambling, or even doing drugs. However, the percentage isn’t that high, at least not when it comes to making those activities regular.

A noticeable trend, on the other hand, is that some winners gain weight. The explanation is that they become less active, order food, and stop heading to the gym. According to statistics, only 12% of jackpot winners subscribe to a gym membership. However, 32% of them gain weight and start having problems with extra pounds.

Are Lotto Jackpot Winners Still Playing the Lottery?

Although everyone is dreaming about jackpot winnings, most players buy lotto tickets because they love the game. That doesn’t stop once you win the jackpot, and the figures show 68% of lotto winners continue to play the lottery.

Some players even experiment with purchasing more tickets than before or trying other games. They know the odds of winning the jackpot again are slim to none. However, it’s the love for the game that keeps them attracted to the lotto.

How the Winners Spend Their Money

You might be wondering how jackpot winners spend their money. It’s only natural that a portion of the jackpot should be spent without thinking too much. However, it’s also critical to make smart decisions and investments.

Here are some figures that show where winners spend the cash they won:

  • Two out of three lotto winners purchase a new house. Every third person moves to a new location, and every fourth starts living in another country.
  • Every tenth lotto winner buys over ten vehicles for their garage. That often includes at least one luxury model!
  • The estimation is that 7% of lotto winners purchase an RV for touring the country. Every fifth player goes into an airplane for the first time after winning the lottery.
  • 83% of lottery winners spend a portion of their winnings on their family and loved ones. The siblings get the most (66%), but children (57%) and parents (51%) aren’t that far away. These figures show jackpot winners are generous!

Funny and Interesting Lottery Statistics and Figures

We covered all the crucial statistics now, but what are the weirdest figures about lottery winners? Here are some things that would surprise anyone:

  • In one survey, 30% of lotto jackpot winners who were women said that the place where they kept their ticket was their bras. They claimed no other place is as safe as the bra!
  • Approximately $2 billion of lottery wins don’t get claimed every year only in the United States.
  • Americans spend more on the lottery than on books, sport event tickets, and movies. They spent $80 billion on lotto tickets in 2016!
  • Every fourth lottery winner purchases at least a single property in another country. For the majority, it’s a vacation home.
  • Violet and Allen Large deserve to be mentioned for giving away their entire jackpot. They donated $11.2 million to hospitals and other destinations in Canada.
  • In Powerball, there have been 110-second prizes in a single drawing session. That was much more than usual, so the lottery thought something suspicious was going on. They soon discovered people played the number mentioned in the fortune cookies purchased by the same company!
  • According to a study that focused on winners in Florida, 70% of them spent all their jackpot money within five years from the date when they got the cash. Furthermore, 1% of the annual lotto winners had to declare bankruptcy.
  • Divorces don’t often happen with lottery winners. According to statistics, only 3% of divorces after the win.

FAQs

Which state is the top seller of lotto tickets?

In the United States, that’s New York. The statistics show people in this state invest over $9 billion in lotto annually. North Dakota is the place where the lottery seems to be least popular.

Who plays the lottery more – men or women?

Although there might be more male players in total, women play the lottery more frequently. They play a single ticket every 11 days, while men only purchase a ticket every 18 days.

Does winning the lotto affect the person’s habits?

The statistics show that 62% of lotto winners exercises at least once a week. That’s lower than 73% of the people who didn’t win the lottery. The figures show lotto winners are more likely to smoke 20 cigarettes or more per day but less likely to drink more than once per week.

Sources and References

  1. https://worlddatabaseofhappiness-archive.eur.nl/hap_bib/freetexts/tunney_rj_2006.pdf
  2. https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/economics/research/workingpapers/2014/twerp_1039_oswald.pdf
  3. https://news.gallup.com/poll/163973/work-even-won-millions.aspx
  4. https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/2020/01/03/powerball-mega-millions-luckiest-states-jackpot-winners/2795449001/

Final Thoughts

As you can see, lottery statistics discover some fantastic things about lotto winners. If one thing is true, it’s that a jackpot win can truly change your life. The huge jackpots are only a bonus because lotto games are entertaining and fun, and that’s a unanimous agreement of all players. If you feel like giving the lottery a shot, you can choose from a wide range of worldwide lotto games and try your luck today!

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