Whether it’s a record-breaking Powerball payout or winning big on the slots, as the old saying goes, you have to be in it to win it.
But could where you live in the US have an impact on your odds of hitting a jackpot?
To find out, VegasSlotsOnline analyzed more than 20 years of Mega Millions and Powerball data, to find:
- The total number of jackpot winners
- Winners per capita
- Total jackpot payout value
- The average value of each win
We also considered local gambling laws to account for where people have more opportunities to take advantage of their natural luck.
ranking states and major US cities by how often good fortune has struck
Using these factors, we created a Luck Score, ranking states and major US cities by how often good fortune has struck in the past, and how much potential there is for future wins.
Key Findings
- New Jersey is the luckiest state in the US, topping the index thanks to frequent Powerball and Mega Millions wins and high historical jackpot values.
- New York ranks second, leading the nation in total jackpot payouts.
- Delaware, Michigan, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania complete the top tier, driven by strong wins-per-capita and a broad mix of legal gaming options.
- New York City is the luckiest city in America, followed by St. Louis and Lafayette.
- Smaller cities like Dearborn, Warren, and Paterson emerge as surprise jackpot hotspots.
- At the other end of the scale, Houston, Fort Worth, San Diego, and San Francisco rank among the least lucky cities, largely due to a low number of wins relative to the size of their population.
The Luckiest States in America
Top 10 States by Luck Score
New Jersey sits comfortably at the top of the list. Players in the Garden State have landed dozens of jackpot wins, with wins per 100,000 residents among the highest in the country, and over $5.8bn in total winnings to date.
Combined with access to legal commercial casinos, retail and online sports betting, and iGaming, it’s one of the best places to try your luck.
The Empire State has produced more jackpot winners than any other state
New York ranks second in our study, but leads the way on raw numbers. The Empire State has produced more jackpot winners than any other state and roughly $7bn in historic jackpot payouts.
Delaware and Rhode Island both deliver strong wins per 100,000 residents, and with Michigan, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Missouri also appearing in the top 10, the Northeast and Midwest appear to be particularly lucky regions overall.
The Unluckiest States in America
Bottom 10 States by Luck Score
At the bottom of our table, Idaho and Minnesota have relatively modest numbers of jackpot wins and fewer ways to gamble compared to the high-flying East Coast.
Texas and Georgia also appear near the bottom of the list
States like Texas and Georgia also appear near the bottom of the list despite having produced their share of jackpot winners. The reason? large populations result in lower wins-per-capita, putting a ceiling on their overall Luck Score.
States where the lottery isn’t currently available include Nevada, Alabama, Utah, Alaska, and Hawaii, while Mississippi, North Dakota, and Wyoming have yet to record a win.
The Luckiest Cities in the US
Statewide rankings only tell part of the story.
Zooming in on cities reveals some local hotspots where historic wins, population size, and gambling access combine for especially favorable conditions
Top 25 Cities by Luck Score
New York City takes the crown as the luckiest city in America, recording a Luck Score just under 93 out of 100.
NYC players have collectively taken home more than $3.5bn in winnings, and residents benefit from multiple legal ways to try their luck if they choose.
their wins per 100,000 residents are some of the highest in the country
St. Louis and Lafayette may be smaller, but their wins per 100,000 residents are some of the highest in the country, giving them an edge over larger metropolitan hubs and helping them to leapfrog into the top three.
The Detroit metro area also emerged as a quiet jackpot hotspot, with both Dearborn and Warren featuring in the top five thanks to Michigan’s strong casino presence and other gambling options.
East Coast cities like Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Philadelphia, and Richmond round out the top of the table, as well as Paterson, NJ, which benefits from New Jersey’s overall good fortune.
The Unluckiest Cities in the US
Bottom 25 Cities by Luck Score
Houston, Fort Worth, and El Paso all feature near the bottom of our table due to their low per-capita win rates and fewer local gaming opportunities compared to the top-performing cities.
California cities, including San Diego, San Francisco, Irvine, Long Beach, and Fremont, tell a similar story. While wins do happen, they’re spread across millions of potential players, resulting in lower overall Luck Scores.
VegasSlotsOnline Spokesperson Comment:
“Jackpots might be random, but when you look at the data over time, you start to see clear patterns in where wins happen.
States like New Jersey and New York don’t just have a history of lottery luck, they also provide residents more opportunities to participate in games of chance.
Of course, no place can guarantee a win, but it’s interesting to see which parts of the country have both history and opportunity working in their favor.”
Whether you live in a jackpot hotspot or the town that lady luck forgot, VegasSlotsOnline is your guide to the best slots and online casinos.
Methodology
VegasSlotsOnline analyzed historic lottery jackpot wins across the United States, combined with 2025 population estimates and state-by-state gambling legislation.
For each state and city, we calculated:
- Number of lottery jackpot wins
- Wins per 100,000 residents
- Total and average jackpot winnings
- Legality of: Commercial casinos, Retail sports betting, Online sports betting, iGaming
These factors were then standardized and combined into a Luck Score out of 100, used to rank the luckiest and least lucky states* and cities** for hitting a jackpot in 2026.
*Only states with legal lotteries and at least one lottery win were considered.
**Cities with a minimum of 100,00 residents and at least 1 lottery jackpot win.
Sources: portalseven, American Gaming Association, worldpopulationreview.
