Powerball take-home by state: where winners keep the most
A $100 million Powerball cash prize leaves $63.05M after tax in California, Florida and Texas, and $53.15M in Oregon: a difference of $9.90M on the same ticket. Federal tax takes 37.0% of it everywhere; state tax ranges from nothing to 9.9%.
Checked 2026-11-06. Sources: IRS 2026 tax tables (Rev. Proc. 2025-32); state revenue departments (listed below).
$100 million cash prize, after tax
| # | State | Federal tax | State tax | Take-home | Kept | Owed at filing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $36.95M | $0.00M | $63.05M | 63.0% | $12.95M |
| 2 | Florida | $36.95M | $0.00M | $63.05M | 63.0% | $12.95M |
| 3 | Texas | $36.95M | $0.00M | $63.05M | 63.0% | $12.95M |
| 4 | Arizona | $36.95M | $2.50M | $60.55M | 60.5% | $12.95M |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | $36.95M | $3.07M | $59.98M | 60.0% | $12.95M |
| 6 | Michigan | $36.95M | $4.25M | $58.80M | 58.8% | $12.95M |
| 7 | Colorado | $36.95M | $4.40M | $58.65M | 58.6% | $13.35M |
| 8 | Illinois | $36.95M | $4.95M | $58.10M | 58.1% | $12.95M |
| 9 | Georgia | $36.95M | $4.99M | $58.06M | 58.1% | $12.95M |
| 10 | Virginia | $36.95M | $5.75M | $57.30M | 57.3% | $18.70M |
| 11 | Wisconsin | $36.95M | $7.65M | $55.40M | 55.4% | $12.95M |
| 12 | Massachusetts | $36.95M | $8.96M | $54.09M | 54.1% | $16.91M |
| 13 | Oregon | $36.95M | $9.90M | $53.15M | 53.1% | $22.85M |
Single filer, no other income, resident of the state where the ticket was bought, cash option of $100 million (the real cash value is set for each drawing). "Owed at filing" is tax not covered by the lottery's withholding. Oregon is shown at its top rate, which slightly overstates tax on smaller prizes. Virginia's lottery withholding rate is not shown on its tax department site, so Virginia's figure counts federal withholding only.
$1 million prize (match all five white balls)
| # | State | Federal tax | State tax | Take-home | Kept |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $320,000 | $0 | $680,000 | 68.0% |
| 2 | Florida | $320,000 | $0 | $680,000 | 68.0% |
| 3 | Texas | $320,000 | $0 | $680,000 | 68.0% |
| 4 | Arizona | $320,000 | $25,000 | $655,000 | 65.5% |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | $320,000 | $30,700 | $649,300 | 64.9% |
| 6 | Michigan | $320,000 | $42,500 | $637,500 | 63.7% |
| 7 | Colorado | $320,000 | $44,000 | $636,000 | 63.6% |
| 8 | Illinois | $320,000 | $49,500 | $630,500 | 63.0% |
| 9 | Georgia | $320,000 | $49,900 | $630,100 | 63.0% |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $320,000 | $50,000 | $630,000 | 63.0% |
| 11 | Virginia | $320,000 | $57,243 | $622,757 | 62.3% |
| 12 | Wisconsin | $320,000 | $76,500 | $603,500 | 60.3% |
| 13 | Oregon | $320,000 | $99,000 | $581,000 | 58.1% |
$500 million jackpot as an annuity
The annuity pays one payment now and 29 more, each 5% larger than the one before (Powerball FAQs). For a $500 million advertised jackpot the first payment is $7.53M before tax.
| State | First payment after tax | All 30 payments after tax |
|---|---|---|
| California | $4.79M | $316.50M |
| Texas | $4.79M | $316.50M |
| Florida | $4.79M | $316.50M |
| Arizona | $4.60M | $304.00M |
| Pennsylvania | $4.56M | $301.15M |
| Michigan | $4.47M | $295.25M |
| Colorado | $4.46M | $294.50M |
| Illinois | $4.42M | $291.75M |
| Georgia | $4.42M | $291.55M |
| Virginia | $4.36M | $287.76M |
| Wisconsin | $4.22M | $278.25M |
| Massachusetts | $4.16M | $272.83M |
| Oregon | $4.05M | $267.00M |
Each year taxed on its own at 2026 federal brackets (later years' brackets will change with inflation) and current state rules.
Method
take-home = prize − federal tax (2026 brackets after the standard deduction) − state tax. State rules come only from each state's revenue department and are linked below; states we could not confirm for 2026 are left out rather than estimated. Local taxes (for example city income taxes) are not included.
Mega Millions jackpots are taxed the same way, so the cash and annuity tables apply to a Mega Millions prize of the same size. The annuity also uses the same 30 payments rising 5% a year (Mega Millions: Difference Between Cash Value and Annuity). For a Mega Millions prize of your own, use the Mega Millions payout calculator.
Download the data: powerball-take-home-by-state.csv. Free to use with a link to this page. For your own prize, filing status and income, use the Powerball payout calculator or the lottery tax calculator.
Sources by state (checked 2026-11-06)
- Arizona: Arizona Department of Revenue: Withholding highlights; Arizona Department of Revenue: Withholding tax (individual)
- California: California Franchise Tax Board: Gambling
- Colorado: Colorado DOR: 2026 estimated tax worksheet (DR 0104EP); Colorado DOR: Withholding tax topics, gambling winnings; Colorado Lottery: FAQs
- Florida: Florida Department of Revenue: Do I have to file a personal income tax return in Florida?
- Georgia: Georgia Department of Revenue: Important tax updates; Georgia Employer's Withholding Tax Guide 2026
- Illinois: Illinois Department of Revenue: Income tax rates; Illinois Publication 130 (February 2026)
- Massachusetts: Mass.gov: Massachusetts tax rates; Mass.gov: Massachusetts 4% surtax on taxable income; Mass.gov: TIR 15-14, withholding and reporting rules for certain gambling income
- Michigan: Michigan Treasury: 4.25% income tax rate for the 2026 tax year; Michigan Treasury: Are gambling/lottery winnings subject to Michigan income tax?; 2026 Michigan Income Tax Withholding Guide (Form 446)
- Oregon: Oregon Department of Revenue: 2026 Publication OR-ESTIMATE; Oregon Withholding Tax Formulas (2026)
- Pennsylvania: PA Department of Revenue: Lottery winnings; PA Personal Income Tax Guide: Gambling and lottery winnings
- Texas: Texas Comptroller: Texas is open for small business
- Virginia: Virginia Tax: 2025 Form 760 instructions
- Wisconsin: Wisconsin Publication 600: Taxation of gambling income (03/26)
Questions
Which state is best to win the Powerball in?
Of the 13 states we checked, California, Florida and Texas: winners there pay no state tax on Powerball prizes and keep $63.05M of a $100 million cash prize after federal tax. In Oregon the same prize leaves $53.15M.
How much tax do you pay on a $1 million Powerball prize?
A single filer with no other income pays about $320,000 in federal tax at 2026 rates, so keeps $680,000 where there is no state tax. State tax adds from $25,000 to $99,000 in the states we checked.
Why do winners owe more tax after the 24% withholding?
Lotteries withhold 24% federal tax, but a large prize is taxed mostly at the top 37% bracket. The difference is due when you file: on a $100 million prize in a state with no income tax, $12.95M more.
Is the cash option or the annuity better after tax?
It depends on the cash value of each drawing, which changes. The annuity spreads the prize over 30 years, so less of it may fall in the top state brackets where rates are graduated. For a $500 million advertised jackpot, the first annual payment is $7.53M before tax.
21+ in most states. If gambling stops being fun, free confidential help is available 24/7: call or text 1-800-GAMBLER (National Council on Problem Gambling).