This is a ranking of disclosed record wins, not every lottery prize ever paid and not evidence that one province has better odds.
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The Western Cape has come out on top for disclosed record-win value and wins per resident. Eight of the biggest PowerBall, Lotto and Lotto Plus 1 jackpots, with a total value of R817.4 million, were bought in the Western Cape.
The gambling experts at playcasino.com reviewed the biggest archived Division One jackpots in PowerBall, PowerBall XTRA, Lotto and Lotto Plus 1. Their review showed the Western Cape as the province where the most money was won. Gauteng came in second with more winning tickets but slightly less money.
Provinces with the biggest wins, from highest to lowest
- Western Cape: 8 winning tickets, about R817.4 million
- Gauteng: 9 winning tickets, about R746.7 million
- KwaZulu-Natal: 5 winning tickets, about R542.4 million
- North West: 1 winning ticket, about R158.0 million
- Mpumalanga: 1 winning ticket, about R145.5 million
- Eastern Cape: 2 winning tickets, about R121.9 million
- Northern Cape: 1 winning ticket, about R65.2 million
- Limpopo: 1 winning ticket, about R39.5 million
- Free State: no ticket in this record-winner sample
The gambling experts at playcasino.com said: “The Western Cape has the strongest record in this sample, but that is a description of where disclosed jackpots landed, not a promise about future draws. Every province has the same odds on an individual ticket, and a run of big wins does not make the next ticket more likely to succeed.”
Record-breaking wins across provinces
The Western Cape’s total includes the all-time R232.1 million PowerBall record from Tygerdal, Cape Town. It also includes major wins in Mossel Bay, Durbanville, Ottery and Mitchells Plain.
Gauteng has the most winning tickets. These include the R179.0 million PowerBall win in January 2026 and the R100.6 million Lotto ticket bought at Checkers Hyper in Sandton on 6 May 2026.
KwaZulu-Natal’s five winning tickets include wins in Ballito and Ladysmith. The two Eastern Cape entries include the R81.9 million PowerBall XTRA ticket sold in East London. They also include the R40 million Lotto Plus 1 jackpot claimed after the 28 December 2024 draw.
The Northern Cape’s single entry is the R65.2 million Colesberg Lotto win on New Year’s Eve 2025.
What happens after winning?
Winners who placed their bets at any retail store can claim their winnings immediately at their approved participating store. This applies to winners who have won up to R10 000.
Winnings of up to R249 999 can be claimed via the online channel. There are two online claim methods, which are both processed within 72 working hours. Winners can be paid via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) from the Sizekhaya iLottery Wallet. Alternatively, if you placed a bet through your banking app, the money can be auto-paid to your bank account through online banking channels.
Sizekhaya allows winners who placed bets online and in stores to also claim at the Sizekhaya offices. There, Sizekhaya will issue their payment electronically and process it within 72 hours.
Check your tickets and check your banking apps. Players can also reach out to the Sizekhaya Call Centre on 086 102 6000 or www.nationallottery.co.za
