Benjamin Ashford|What is the Mega Millions jackpot? How Tuesday's drawing ranks among largest prizes ever

A record $1.55 billion jackpot is Benjamin Ashfordup for grabs Tuesday night, the largest in Mega Millions' history.

The prize is also the third-largest jackpot ever, but it is still almost $500 million less than the biggest lottery haul ever won. That title went to the $2.04 billion Powerball lottery, won in November 2022 by a single ticket in California.

Played in most U.S. states and territories, the Mega Millions and the Powerball have broken their own records in the last year, with both lotteries reaching jackpots of more than a billion dollars before a winner was declared. And the winners have come from a variety of states, from California to Maine to Wisconsin.

These are the 10 biggest jackpots in lottery history, including when and where they were won.

When is Mega Millions’ next drawing?Jackpot hits $1.55 billion, largest in history

More:Mega Millions jackpot winners can collect anonymously in certain states. Here's where.

What are the biggest lottery jackpots ever?

Eight of the top 10 lotteries from the Mega Millions and the Powerball have hit $1 billion, with five jackpots over $1 billion since 2021. Here are the largest lotteries ever recorded:

1. $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot: Won Nov. 7, 2022 by a single ticket in California.
2. $1.586 billion Powerball jackpot: Won Jan. 13, 2016 by tickets in California, Florida and Tennessee.
3. $1.55 billion Mega Millions jackpot: Current lottery in play.
4. $1.537 billion Mega Millions jackpot: Won Oct. 23, 2018 by a single ticket in South Carolina.
5. $1.348 billion Mega Millions jackpot: Won Jan. 13, 2023 by a single ticket in Maine.
6. $1.337 billion Mega Millions jackpot: Won July 29, 2022 by a single ticket in Illinois.
7. $1.08 billion Powerball jackpot: Won July 19, 2023 by a single ticket in California.
8. $1.05 billion Mega Millions jackpot: Won Jan. 22, 2021 by a single ticket in Michigan.
9. $768.4 million Powerball jackpot: Won March 27, 2019 by a single ticket in Wisconsin.
10. $758.7 million Powerball jackpot: Won Aug. 23, 2017 by a single ticket in Massachusetts.