jackpot

noun

jack·​pot ˈjak-ˌpät 

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

Synonyms

• bind
• box
• catch-22
• corner
• dilemma
• fix
• hole
• impasse
• jam
• mire
• pickle
• predicament
• quagmire
• rabbit hole
• rattrap
• spot
• sticky wicket
• swamp

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

The odds of winning a Powerball jackpot are about one in 292.2 million. —Doc Louallen, The Courier-Journal, 12 June 2024

Consistency paid off for a Kent County woman who recently won a Lotto 47 jackpot worth $1.1 million. —Tanya Wildt, Detroit Free Press, 11 June 2024

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, The Arizona Republic, 10 June 2024

No one matched all six numbers to win the Powerball jackpot. —Chris Sims, The Indianapolis Star, 9 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1865, in the meaning defined at sense 1b(1)

Phrases Containing jackpot

• hit the jackpot

Kids 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