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
If scooping out the litter box is your least favorite part of being a pet parent, the Pet Cove self-cleaning automatic litter box is like hitting the jackpot.
—
Lauryn Jiles, Miami Herald, 3 Mar. 2025
In addition to editing content, Alex also covers breaking news, writing about crime and severe weather as well as everything from multistate lottery jackpots to the July Fourth hot dog eating contest.
—Alex Sundby, CBS News, 3 Mar. 2025
What to know about Mega Millions To score the jackpot in the Mega Millions, a player must match all five white balls and the gold Mega Ball.
—Rhiannon Saegert, Kansas City Star, 2 Mar. 2025
To win the jackpot, players must match all five white balls in any order and the red Powerball.
—Fernando Cervantes Jr., USA TODAY, 1 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for jackpot
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Lauryn Jiles, Miami Herald, 3 Mar. 2025
In addition to editing content, Alex also covers breaking news, writing about crime and severe weather as well as everything from multistate lottery jackpots to the July Fourth hot dog eating contest.
—Alex Sundby, CBS News, 3 Mar. 2025
What to know about Mega Millions To score the jackpot in the Mega Millions, a player must match all five white balls and the gold Mega Ball.
—Rhiannon Saegert, Kansas City Star, 2 Mar. 2025
To win the jackpot, players must match all five white balls in any order and the red Powerball.
—Fernando Cervantes Jr., USA TODAY, 1 Mar. 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 12 Mar. 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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