SuperLotto Plus History
The California State Lottery has created some of the biggest lottery winners in the United States, while generating funds for the state since its launch in 1984. Below you will find the key dates in SuperLotto Plus history, including when the game started, any changes that have been made and a few of the biggest jackpot wins.
In 1984, The California Lottery was launched. Tickets became available in October, 1985 for an instant game named California Jackpot. Over 21.4 million tickets were sold in the first 24 hours and it only took four months for ticket sales to reach $1 billion.
SuperLotto Plus originally began in 1986 under the name California SuperLotto. The earliest game format required players to select six numbers from a pool of 49.
In 1990, the main number ball pool was increased from 49 to 53. At the same time, a bonus ball was brought into play. The bonus ball was drawn from the same pool.
The biggest SuperLotto Plus jackpot was won on April 17, 1990 and split between 10 tickets. The winning tickets were sold in Anaheim, Culver City, Fontana, Hawthorne, Lancaster, Los Angeles, Red Bluff, Santa Cruz, Stockton and Victorville.
The record breaking jackpot of $104 million was split between 3 winning tickets and a total of 24 winners. One ticket was claimed by Yolanda Starr from Ventura Keys and one by a group of 22 family members and friends split their winnings, each taking a $770,000 share. The final winner is unknown.
The millennium saw the biggest changes to SuperLotto yet. The name was changed to California SuperLotto Plus. Other changes included changing the number of main numbers picked to 5 and reducing the main number pool to 47. A second drum was also brought in the game. The bonus ball, known as the Mega Ball, would now be drawn from the second drum with its own pool of 27 numbers.
$89 million jackpot was won in Sacramento. In 2001, Sang Cho became the largest individual winner in California Lottery history.
The largest SuperLotto Plus jackpot was won in February 2002 by three ticket holders. The winning tickets were sold in Montebello, Orange and Half Moon Bay.
The jackpot winning ticket worth $18 million was sold at Cafe Paradise, 2400 Monterey Highway in San Jose. The ticket was claimed by a group of five people who split their winnings. They each took home $2.72 million before taxes, while the retailer received a $90,000 bonus from the CA Lottery.
In 2021, a huge $62 million jackpot was won by a single ticket holder. The winning ticket was sold at Tori Liquor, 7300 Sepulveda Boulevard, Van Nuys. The retailer received a $310,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket.
A single ticket won a huge $82 million jackpot on August 5, 2023. The jackpot winning ticket was sold at Spring Valley Market, 13295 Spring Valley Parkway in Victorville. The winner has not yet come forward.