In November 2022, a Californian man made history when he won America's largest-ever lottery jackpot: a staggering $2.04 billion. The player was later revealed to be Edwin Castro, who had matched all six Powerball numbers after purchasing a ticket at Joe's Service Center in Altadena.

According to state law, Castro's identity had to be made public, but he "respectfully declined" to appear at the news conference. Instead, California Lottery representatives read a statement he shared, in which he said: "As much as I am shocked and ecstatic to have won the Powerball drawing, the real winner is the California Public School system." The school system received a record-breaking $156.3 million that was raised through lottery ticket sales, while Joe Chahayed of Joe's Service Center also received a $1 million windfall for selling the winning ticket.

Castro was able to choose to receive 30 equal payments of roughly $63 million per year or a lump sum of around $929 million. But although the total sum is a new record, CNN has noted that the winners of the 2016 Powerball jackpot actually walked away with a larger cash prize. Interest rate hikes have boosted the size of their annuity payments, so the total amount that would be dispensed through those payments is much higher than the cash lump sum.

Now take a look at the biggest unclaimed lottery jackpots ever

America's biggest ever lottery jackpots