Largest Jackpot Recipients Globally in 2025: Ranking the Wealthiest Lottery Victors Worldwide
Every now and then, the unbelievable happens. For decades, the allure of winning the lottery has lured millions worldwide, offering a chance to become an overnight billionaire. And for a select few, this once-in-a-lifetime dream has materialized. Here are the top 10 biggest lottery winners in India as of 2025, sharing stories that encapsulate the capsizing of conventional lives and the birth of immense fortunes.
1. Hira Sing – A Recognized Life Changer
Few names resound in the spheres of business, innovation, and community leadership like Hira Sing. Hira's work, spanning agriculture and social development, has left an indelible impact on both local and global communities. His efforts to foster opportunity and growth have earned him recognition within his field, cementing his legacy as a catalyst for change.
Bonus Read: The Top 10 Most Affordable Cars in the World 2025
2. Krishna Barri – Remarkable Redemption
Not all lottery victories are created equal – some tales are truly unforgettable because of their uniqueness and the profound impact they've had on winners' lives. Krishna Barri holds a place in history as one of India's greatest lottery winners of recent years, standing as a testament to the ever-present role of chance in turning lives around.
3. Balraj Awasthi – From Chef to Entrepreneur
A life-altering moment found Balraj Awasthi while he was working as a professional chef in Toronto, Canada. His path took a dramatic turn when he nabbed a massive state lottery win of around $12.8 million. Balraj decided to put his new riches to good use by venturing into entrepreneurship and jet-setting across mainland Europe and Australia.
4. Ushakiran Patel – A Second Chance Fortune
In March 2018, Ushakiran Patel was graced with a stroke of luck, winning the US Powerball international lottery and claiming a prize worth $1 million (approximately ₹84 crore). Patel, who is 62, matched five numbers – 6, 13, 19, 36, and 51. Patel's victory is all the more inspiring as she used the Powerball's Quick-Choose mode to randomly select her numbers, underscoring the power of fate.
5. Pragnesh Peter Saija – A Second Wind
Just four days after Balraj Awasthi struck gold with his $12.8 million Daily Grand Lottery win, fellow Canadian resident Pragnesh Peter Saija followed suit with a $7 million victory of his own. With dreams of building his dream home complete with a swimming pool, home theater, and additional bedrooms, Saija was careful to stash away a portion of his winnings for his children's future educational needs.
Bonus Read: Top 10 Best SEO Experts in the World 2025
6. Munavar Fairoos – UAE Dreams Realized
In the new year of 2025, Munavar Fairoos, a private driver from India, living in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates, began his year on an extraordinary note. At the Big Ticket Live draw on December 31, Fairoos earned the life-changing jackpot of 20 million UAE dirhams (approximately ₹44 crore). The lucky winner had been buying tickets every month for five years, never imagining that fate would favor him so extravagantly.
7. Anoop – From Auto-Rickshaw Driver to Overnight Millionaire
Fate had some life-changing plans up its sleeve for a Thiruvananthapuram auto-rickshaw driver. Dreaming of moving to Malaysia to pursue a career as a chef, the man had sought a loan to finance his education. As fate would have it, fortune smiled upon him a day after securing the bank loan, securing him a winning ticket in the Onam bumper lottery, earning ₹25 crores.
8. Sharafuddin – Kerala's Own Lotto Tycoon
At the 2021 Christmas New Year Bumper draw, the ₹12 crore jackpot went to Sharafuddin, a lottery ticket seller from Tenkasi, Tamil Nadu. In an ironic twist, the very ticket that changed his life was among the unsold tickets he had kept after his usual sales. On this fateful day, the serendipitous ticket brought an unexpected windfall of luck, propelling Sharafuddin to fame.
Bonus Read: These Are The Oldest Countries In The World
9. Sadanandan – Casual Fortune
Sadanandan, also known affectionately as "Sadan," won the ₹12-crore jackpot in the Kerala Christmas New Year Bumper BR-83 Lottery in 2022, earning himself the luxury of household comforts and financial security. A painter by trade, Sadan bought the winning ticket serendipitously the morning of the drawing on January 16, 2022, becoming another fortunate winner in a long line of lucky lottery participants.
10. Ananthu Vijayan – A Little Luck Goes a Long Way
In September 2020, 24-year-old Ananthu Vijayan, a temple worker from Idukki, Kerala, bagged the main prize of ₹12 crores in the Thiruvonam Bumper Lottery. Purchase the ticket from a local agent just a few days prior to the draw, Ananthu was initially skeptical when he received the call claiming his victory. However, as the reality of his windfall set in, the young man began considering starting his own business and buying a cozy home close to Ernakulam.
- Despite his successful ventures in agriculture, social development, and business, Hira Sing's sudden win in the lottery added another dimension to his fortune, diversifying his financial portfolio.
- In contrast to their significant financial gains, many lottery winners, like Krishna Barri and Anoop, remain modest in their spending, prioritizing their families and the future over extravagant purchases.