As the Powerball jackpot climbs to $1.5 billion for December 20, attention turns to California's remarkable history with massive lottery prizes. The state has consistently produced winners in the billion-dollar range, making it a focal point for lottery enthusiasts.
Historic Lottery Achievements
California's lottery system, which launched on October 3, 1985, has celebrated numerous record-breaking victories. The Golden State holds several key distinctions in lottery history:
- The largest U.S. lottery jackpot ever: $2.04 billion
- The most billion-dollar jackpot wins nationwide
- $1 million retailer commissions for selling winning billion-dollar tickets
When major wins occur at retailers across the state, they typically involve press conferences and public celebrations. However, lottery officials emphasize that the educational funding generated since 1985 brings equal satisfaction to announcing multimillion-dollar winners.
"We're proud of the more than $48 billion we've raised for California's public schools," stated the California Lottery in an October 2025 announcement.
Landmark Billion-Dollar Wins
The first time a lottery jackpot reached $1 billion occurred on January 11, 2016, with Powerball. After nearly 30 rollovers beginning November 4, 2015, three tickets from California, Tennessee, and Florida ultimately split the $1.586 billion prize on January 13, 2016.
California's most significant lottery achievement remains the $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot won by Edwin Castro of Altadena on November 7, 2022. After 40 consecutive rollovers starting August 3, 2022, Castro claimed his historic prize on February 14, 2023.
Recent Major Victories
Several other substantial wins have occurred in recent years:
A single ticket purchased at Las Palmitas Mini Market in Los Angeles won the $1.08 billion Powerball drawing on July 19, 2023, with Yanira Alvarez claiming the prize.
Theodorus Struyck represented a winning group for the $1.73 billion Powerball prize drawn October 11, 2023, purchased at Midway Market in Frazier Park.
Rosemary Casarotti collected a $1.269 billion Mega Millions prize on St. Patrick's Day 2025, from a December 27, 2024 drawing. The winning ticket came from a Circle K in Cottonwood, which received a $1 million retailer bonus.
Lottery Regulations and Privacy
Unlike some states, California requires jackpot winners to come forward personally rather than through trusts or anonymously. However, winners like the Acostas (who shared the 2016 $1.586 billion Powerball) and Edwin Castro have declined to release photos or video footage during official announcements.
Carolyn Becker, California Lottery spokesperson, noted in March 2025 that the $1.269 billion Mega Millions winner would not attend the press conference and had declined media appearances.
Jackpot Growth Patterns
Reaching billion-dollar jackpots typically requires approximately two months of rollover drawings, depending on ticket sales. As of December 18, 2025, Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots have reached or exceeded $1 billion fourteen times in history, with only one instance surpassing $2 billion.
