jackpot

American  

[jak-pot] / ˈdʒækˌpɒt /

noun

jackpots plural

1. the chief prize or the cumulative stakes in a game or contest, as in bingo, a quiz contest, or a slot machine.

2. Poker. a pot that accumulates until a player opens the betting with a pair of predetermined denomination, usually jacks or better.

3. an outstanding reward or success.

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idioms

1. hit the jackpot,

   1. to achieve a sensational success; have sudden luck.

      The firm has hit the jackpot with its new line of computers.

   2. to win a jackpot.

jackpot British  

/ ˈdʒækˌpɒt /

noun

1. any large prize, kitty, or accumulated stake that may be won in gambling, such as a pool in poker that accumulates until the betting is opened with a pair of jacks or higher

2. 1. to win a jackpot

   2. informal to achieve great success, esp through luck

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jackpot More Idioms  

1. see hit the jackpot.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• jackpots
  plural

Etymology

Origin of jackpot

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85; of uncertain origin

Explanation

A jackpot is a pile of money won during a game such as a poker. It's also any example of good fortune. Originally, a jackpot was a pile of money in poker that accumulated until someone produced a pair of jacks (or something better). These days, a jackpot is any kind of prize, winnings, or success. If you get a high-paying job, you hit the jackpot. If you married a wonderful person, you hit the jackpot. Sometimes a jackpot is specific to a game, like the money won from a hand of 21, but any good fortune can be considered a jackpot.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

jackpot jackpots

But if the agreement passes muster in court, it will let J&J move on from endless legal costs and the uncertainty of jackpot jury verdicts to providing health products for American consumers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026

But a few might hit the jackpot, such as computer memory-focused fund DRAM.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026

And sometimes — the true jackpot — there’s a crusty half-loaf of sourdough, which instantly checks off one of my weekly anchor ingredients for just a few dollars.

From Salon ● May 22, 2026

But former Home Office minister and a critic of royal finances Norman Baker said the duchy would still be a "royal fruit machine... he pulls the handle and gets a jackpot every time".

From BBC ● May 18, 2026

Nesting usually occurred between February and July, but fledglings had been observed in dens as late as October Systematically, Roy scrolled down the search items one by one until he finally hit the jackpot.

From "Hoot" by Carl Hiaasen

And backers of AI companies have billions, if not trillions, of reasons to hope their gambles aren’t just once-in-a-generation jackpots, but once in a human existence.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 18, 2026

In fact, in the case of the 50 largest lottery jackpots claimed to date, the prize has been split by two or more winners 10 times.

From MarketWatch ● Dec. 22, 2025

The three largest Powerball jackpots on record have all been won by Golden State residents, and just this week the Village Spirit Shoppe in Westlake Village produced its third multimillionaire, according to the California Lottery.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 24, 2025

The highest ever Powerball jackpots were both won in California — in Nov. 2022 when Edwin Castor of Altadena purchased a ticket worth $2.04 billion and in Oct.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2025

More people have won lottery jackpots than flown in space.

From "Women in Space" by Karen Bush Gibson

Related Words

• prize