Who actually wins
the lottery?
We analyzed 180 documented jackpot winners. The profile that emerges challenges everything you thought you knew about who gets lucky.
Visual summary of our 180 winner analysis. Data breakdown below.
The Typical Powerball Winner
A married man in his early 50s, from a small town, working or middle class, who plays the lottery occasionally - not obsessively.
Small Town America Wins Big
Half of all winners come from towns under 50,000 people
Gender Distribution
Men win more often, but women win bigger
Women who win tend to have +12% larger average jackpots.
Age Distribution
Average winner age: 52 years. The 50s are the peak decade.
Marital Status
Most winners are married when they hit the jackpot
Economic Background
80% were working or middle class before winning
Occupation Categories
What winners did for work before their big win
Playing Habits
Most winners play occasionally, not obsessively
The Data Tells a Clear Story
The typical Powerball jackpot winner is not a young city-dweller buying tickets every day. It's a married man in his 50s, from a small town, who plays occasionally.
Of course, the lottery is random. Anyone can win. But if you're looking for patterns, the data shows jackpots favor small-town America, not big cities.
Source: CazPoint Powerball Winners Study, 180 documented jackpot winners (1992-2024). Demographics verified through public records and news archives. Data coverage varies by metric (57-95%).