From record-breaking Powerball wins and parlay hits to poker glory and casino jackpots, 2025 delivered some great fortune to players across the U.S.
While no one here at bonus was a recipient of one of these big wins — at least as far as we know — we hope either you or someone you know had some good luck in 2025. Here’s to 2026.
Biggest Lottery Wins
Lotteries dominated headlines in 2025 with two historic Powerball jackpots, creating multiple centi-millionaires.
- $1.817 billion Powerball (December 24, 2025) — A single ticket sold at a Murphy USA gas station in Cabot, Arkansas, claimed the second-largest U.S. lottery jackpot ever. The anonymous winner had a cash option of about $834.9 million before taxes.
- $1.787 billion Powerball (September 6, 2025) — Split between tickets in Missouri and Texas, with each receiving roughly $410 million in cash before taxes—the third-largest U.S. prize.
The winner of the Arkansas jackpot has not yet claimed their prize. Winners in the state have 180 days to come forward.
Biggest Casino Wins (Retail and Online)
Casinos also produced a number of multimillion-dollar payouts this year, with wins ranging from hits on progressive jackpots to victories at high stakes poker tournaments.
- $10 million — Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi won the 2025 WSOP Main Event in Las Vegas, capping a dominant series that included his record fourth $50,000 Poker Players Championship victory.
- Nearly $1 million — Encore Boston Harbor’s largest payout came from a $5 side bet on a table game (Let It Ride variant), hitting $877,261.
- Other notable retail hits included $217,000 on slots at Encore Boston and various seven-figure progressive jackpots in Las Vegas and Connecticut venues like Mohegan Sun.
- Online standout: A Michigan player turned a $0.20 bet into a record $22.4 million progressive jackpot on DraftKings Casino’s Huff N’ Even More Puff.
Biggest Sports Betting Wins
Though not all major sports betting victories are made public, we do have access to some of the biggest wins ofthe year. They are as follows:
- $843,000+ on a $15, 17-leg parlay (Hard Rock Bet) — Covered college and NFL games with tight spreads on November 8.
- $600,000+ on a $25, 6-leg anytime TD parlay (with boost) — Hit across late-window NFL games in early December.
Whether it’s the lottery, online casinos, or sports betting, we all know the odds are stacked against us. We all know “the house always wins”. Yet, many to continue to find themselves attracted to these stories — myself included. Maybe it’s curiosity, maybe it’s hope, but, either way, there’s a collective understanding that we could all purchase a lottery ticket in Central Arkansas one day and become a multi-millionaire the next. That is something will always resonate.
The irony that the biggest win of the year was never claimed speaks to the goofiness of it all. Who knows, it could be yours. Wouldn’t that be a great way to start the New Year.
About the Author
