1
a
: the top prize in a game or contest (such as a lottery) that is typically a large fund of money formed by the accumulation of unwon prizes
b(1)
: a hand or game of draw poker in which a pair of jacks or better is required to open
(2)
: a large pot (as in poker) formed by the accumulation of stakes from previous play
c(1)
: a combination on a slot machine that wins a top prize or all the coins available for paying out
(2)
: the sum so won
2
: an impressive often unexpected success or reward
3
chiefly Western US
: a tight spot : jam
Examples of jackpot in a Sentence
The lottery jackpot is up to one million dollars.
a wily dude who managed to get himself out of one jackpot after another
Recent Examples on the Web
Lottery players have seen enormous jackpots recently, with previous winners of both the Powerball and Mega Millions breaking into the top 10 largest jackpots in U.S. lottery history.
—
Lorenzino Estrada, AZCentral.com, 25 July 2025
There were no $1 million winners and no one hit the jackpot, results show.
—Tanasia Kenney, Miami Herald, 24 July 2025
What to know about Powerball To score a jackpot in the Powerball, a player must match all five white balls and the red Powerball.
—Don Sweeney, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 July 2025
No one won the Powerball jackpot on Monday, July 21.
—Ray Padilla, Louisville Courier Journal, 23 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for jackpot
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Lorenzino Estrada, AZCentral.com, 25 July 2025
There were no $1 million winners and no one hit the jackpot, results show.
—Tanasia Kenney, Miami Herald, 24 July 2025
What to know about Powerball To score a jackpot in the Powerball, a player must match all five white balls and the red Powerball.
—Don Sweeney, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 July 2025
No one won the Powerball jackpot on Monday, July 21.
—Ray Padilla, Louisville Courier Journal, 23 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for jackpot
Cite this Entry
“Jackpot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jackpot. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
jackpot
noun
jack·pot
ˈjak-ˌpät 
1
: a large poker pot formed by the accumulation of stakes from previous play
2
a
: a combination on a slot machine that wins a top prize or all the coins in the machine
b
: the sum so won
3
: a great often unexpected success or reward
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