Who won biggest lottery jackpot ever? How much did they actually win, was it cash option? (2024)

After taxes, $2.04 billion Powerball lottery winner Edwin Castro walked away with $628.5 million, reports show.

With the Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots both inching toward $1 billion, those who play the lottery may be wondering: What was the biggest lottery jackpot ever won?

Answer: More than $2 billion. On Valentine’s Day 2023, one California man became a billionaire overnight, when he claimed a Powerball jackpot from the previous November.

Edwin Castro won the biggest lottery jackpot ever recorded. Here’s info on how much he actually won and what he’s purchased since his historic win.

Who won the biggest lottery jackpot ever? Meet Edwin Castro of California

Edwin Castro is the Altadena, California, resident who became an overnight multimillionaire − he missed the title of billionaire by less than $3 million − after his lottery ticket matched all five numbers plus the Powerball in the Nov. 7, 2022, record drawing for what was then a $1.9 billion prize. Final ticket sales pushed the grand total to $2.04 billion.

After months of vetting through the California Lottery, Castro officially claimed his grand prize on Valentine's Day, Feb. 14, 2023. Since then, Castro has purchased three homes in his home state of California along with several vintage cars, including two Porsches almost a year after the drawing, news reports show.

How much did Powerball lottery winner Edwin Castro actually win?

Edwin Castro of Altadena, California, was the sole winner of the $2.04 billion Powerball drawing on Nov. 7, 2022.

Castro won the largest-ever lottery jackpot, and he opted for a lump sum of $997.6 million, just shy of $1 billion, according to the California Lottery. After taxes, Castro walked away with $628.5 million.

What is Powerball lottery winner Edwin Castro doing now?

Since his historic win in 2022, Castro bought three multimillion-dollar homes in California and at least five vintage cars.

After Castro claimed his winnings as a one-time, lump sum payment on Valentine's Day, three months after the drawing, he bought a $25.5 million estate in Hollywood Hills on March 1, 2023.

According to USA TODAY, the 13,500-square-foot mansion sits on a 0.58-acre lot and features five bedrooms, seven bathrooms, game room, wine cellar, movie theater, bar, spa and fitness studio. The main room is on the third floor and has its own balcony. Other amenities include a garage big enough to park seven cars.

Most of the house, which has an outdoor infinity pool and fireplace, is made up of glass walls, photos show. Nearby neighbors include Ariana Grande, Dakota Johnson and Jimmy Kimmel.

According to the New York Post, Castro purchased a second home in his hometown of Altadena, a $4 million mansion with views of the San Gabriel Mountains. Features of the 1953 Japanese-style home include a pool, movie theater, five bedrooms and four bathrooms, the New York Post reported. Castro was reportedly living in a one-bedroom home when he won the Powerball.

The New York Post said Castro also bought a vintage white Porsche for $250,000.

Castro also bought a $47 million mansion in Los Angeles from celebrity realtor Mauricio Umansky, USA TODAY reported in September 2023. The seven-bedroom, 11-bathroom home has a koi pond and infinity pool, offering a panoramic view of the city.

Other features include DJ turntables, a Champagne room, glass walkway, wine cellar and (like his other California homes) and a home theater. The bedrooms boast walk-in closets, oversized bathtubs and relaxing sitting areas.

Castro has also added to his vintage car collection, according to a November 2023 report from The Daily Mail. The $2.04 billion Powerball lottery winner reportedly owns two vintage Porsches and three vintage Volkswagens.

"He currently owns a white Porsche 911 from the 1980s, a grey Ram 1500 TRX, and three Volkswagen Karmann Ghias, two black and one red,” The Daily Mail reported. “His latest purchase sees him adding a British racing green 1970s Porsche 356 and a black Porsche 1980s 911."

In addition to his luxury splurges, Castro also hired a round-the-clock security team.

Who is the Powerball winner getting sued?

State lotteries recommend players who believe they have a winning jackpot prize ticket sign the ticket, put it in a safe place, seek financial and legal advice, and contact their state lottery to make an appointment to claim the prize.

Winners also undergo a vetting process by their state lottery. The California State Lottery has a “rigorous vetting process” to ensure that the person who says they’ve won is a legitimate winner, spokesperson Carolyn Becker told Florida Today.

The vetting process can take weeks or months before a winner can be declared, according to Becker.

However, that didn't stop Edwin Castro from being sued by a man who claimed the winning lottery ticket was actually stolen.

On April 25, Jose Rivera claimed he bought the winning ticket on Nov. 7, 2022, hours before the Tuesday, Nov. 8, drawing. California Lottery officials backed Castro and its vetting process.

According to a February report from The U.S. Sun, Rivera and Castro’s civil case is ongoing and could drag into the summer.

Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network-Florida. Follow her onTwitteror Instagram at@byjensangalang. Support local journalism.Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper.