Biggest lottery jackpots in U.S. history

Powerball's latest jackpot is worth $320 million, big enough to make the list of the 15 biggest annuity prizes ever in the United States.

The cash jackpot of $198.3 million even makes the Top 10.

For the numbers drawn Wednesday night and more, see "Powerball jackpot 4th biggest ever."

2012 was the most jackpot-crazy year ever, producing the biggest Mega Millions jackpot ever, the biggest Powerball jackpot ever, and two more Powerball jackpots that landed the Top 10.

Here's the list of the Top 15 annuities - 25 annual payments in Mega Millions, 30 in Powerball - with cash payouts included (and ranked in parentheses), since almost all winners take the cash.

The jackpots are all from three multistate games: Powerball, Mega Millions, and its precursor, the Big Game.

1. $656 million, Mega Millions, won March 30, 2012, by three tickets, sold in Maryland, Illinois and Kansas. Cash: $471 million (No. 1 for total cash all-time).

2. $587.5 million, Powerball, won Nov. 28, 2012, by two tickets, sold in Missouri and Arizona. Cash (2): $384.7 million (No. 1 all-time total cash for Powerball).

3. $390 million, Mega Millions, won March 6, 2007, by 2 tickets, in Georgia and New Jersey. Cash (4): $233.1 million.

4. $380 million, Mega Millions, won Jan. 4, 2011, drawing, in Idaho and Washington State. Cash (3): $240 million.

5. $365 million, Powerball, won Feb. 18, 2006, in Nebraska. Cash (13): $177.3 million. Record annuity for Powerball, record annuity with a single winner for any U.S. lottery.

6. $363 million, Big Game, won May 9, 2000, by 2 tickets, in Illinois and Michigan. Cash (12): $180 million.

7. $340 million, Powerball, won Oct. 19, 2005, in Oregon. Cash (20): $164.4 million.

8. $337 million, Powerball, won Aug. 15, 2012, in Michigan. Cash (5): $224.6 million. Most cash paid to a single winner for any U.S. lottery. (Four higher totals were all split.)

9. $336.4 million, Powerball, for Feb. 11, 2012, drawing. Cash (7): $210 million.

10. $336 million, Mega Millions, won Aug. 28, 2009, by two tickets, in New York and California. Cash (6): $214 million.

11. $331 million, Big Game, won April 16, 2002, by three tickets, in Georgia, Illinois and New Jersey. Cash (14): $176.7 million.

12. $330 million, Mega Millions, won Aug. 31, 2007, by four tickets, in New Jersey, Maryland, Texas and Virginia. Cash: $194.4. million (8).

13. $320 million, Powerball, jackpot for March 23, 2013, drawing. Cash (9): $198.3 million.

14. $319 million, Mega Millions, won March 25, 2011, in New York. Cash (8): $202.8 million. Biggest Mega Millions annuity won by a single ticket.

15. $315 million, Powerball, won Nov. 15, 2005, by California ticket. Cash (11): $186.4 million.

For more on lotteries, go to www.philly.com/philly/news/lottery, www.powerball.com or www.megamillions.com.

Contact staff writer Peter Mucha at 215-854-4342 or pmucha@phillynews.com.