hit the jackpot

Idioms  

1. Be highly successful, especially unexpectedly; win, especially a lot of money. For example, She hit the jackpot at the auction; that platter turned out to be genuine Meissen. This term comes from a form of poker in which a hand can be opened only if one holds at least a pair of jacks (or higher). Often a number of hands must be dealt before anyone can open, and since players must put in money for each round, the jackpot, or total amount held, is apt to be quite large. [Early 1900s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hit the jackpot

But after swiping down on my screen a dozen times, I hit the jackpot: 9:25.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026

Clarence Carter challenged himself last year, and he hit the jackpot with the biggest album of his career.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 14, 2026

He soon hit the jackpot after he found a six-carat diamond, which was worth a fortune 50 years ago.

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2024

The Hawks hit the jackpot despite just 3% odds after finishing 10th in the Eastern Conference at 36-46.

From Seattle Times ● May 12, 2024

She’d say all the wrong things—that I’ve hit the jackpot, that I need to get into this boy’s pockets real quick, that I need to do something about that Carrie girl.

From "Pride" by Ibi Zoboi

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