The Youngest Lottery Winners Ever

The youngest lottery winners in modern history were still teenagers when their tickets came in — one of them was just 16. Their names are documented in news reports and lottery announcements: Callie Rogers in England, who won £1.875 million in 2003 at 16; Juliette Lamour in Ontario, who won CAD $48 million in 2023 at 18; and Shane Missler in Florida, who claimed a $451 million Mega Millions jackpot in 2018 at 20.

What makes these stories worth reading is not the moment the numbers matched. It is everything that came after — the spending, the lawsuits, the career changes, and in one case a change to national law. One of the youngest lottery winners on record spent years publicly arguing that someone her age should never have been allowed to buy the ticket in the first place, and the UK government eventually agreed.

Below is what the public record actually shows about each of them: the verified amounts, the dates, the sources, and where their lives went next. No rumors, no invented quotes — just what reporters, lottery operators, and public records documented at the time.

Callie Rogers: The Youngest Lottery Winner Who Changed a Law

In July 2003, Callie Rogers was 16 years old, living in Cumbria in northwest England, and working at a Co-op store. She bought a National Lottery ticket — legal in the UK at the time for anyone 16 or older — and won £1,875,000. British media reported the win immediately, and she became the youngest National Lottery jackpot winner in the game’s history.

The years afterward were widely covered by UK outlets including the BBC, the Daily Mirror, and later the Independent. Rogers has said publicly that the money was gone within roughly a decade, spent on property for herself and for family and friends, on cars, clothes, travel, and cosmetic surgery. She has also spoken openly about the mental health toll the sudden attention took on her.

What she did next is the part most lists of youngest lottery winners leave out. Rogers began giving interviews arguing that 16 was too young to be handed that kind of money, telling the Mirror in 2019 that at that age “you can get the best advice ever, but you are not in a position to listen.”

The UK government moved in the same direction. Following a public consultation, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport announced in December 2020 that the minimum age to play the National Lottery would rise from 16 to 18. Online sales to 16- and 17-year-olds stopped in April 2021, and the full restriction took effect that October. Rogers, in 2021, enrolled as a mature student on a nursing course at the University of Central Lancashire.

Juliette Lamour, 18, and a $48 Million First Ticket

Juliette Lamour of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, had turned 18 only days before she bought her first lottery ticket ever. It won the Lotto 6/49 Gold Ball jackpot in the January 7, 2023 draw — CAD $48 million. The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, the government agency that runs the game, said no lottery player her age had ever won that much.

Lamour told OLG at her prize presentation that her grandfather suggested she buy a ticket for fun after her birthday, and that she called her father from the store because she did not know what to ask for. He told her to buy a Lotto 6/49 Quick Pick. She was a biology student at Algoma University at the time, and the story was picked up by CBC News, Global News, and the Associated Press.

Canada does not tax lottery winnings as income, which is one reason the Canadian cases on any list of youngest lottery winners look different from the American ones. Lamour said publicly that she intended to stay in school and continue her studies.

Shane Missler: A $451 Million Jackpot at 20

On January 5, 2018, a Quick Pick ticket bought at a 7-Eleven in Port Richey, Florida matched all six Mega Millions numbers. The winner was Shane Missler, 20 years old, and the Florida Lottery confirmed his claim on January 12. He took the one-time cash option: $281,874,999 before taxes.

The Florida Lottery released a statement from Missler at the time in which he said he was only 20 but hoped to use the money to pursue a variety of passions, help his family, and “do some good for humanity.” The Washington Post, NBC News, and ABC News all reported the claim. He had formed a trust, Secret 007 LLC, to receive the prize.

Missler stepped back from public life shortly afterward, and unlike some of the other youngest lottery winners, he has given very few interviews since. That is a legitimate choice, and there is no verified public record of what he has done with the money — which is worth stating plainly rather than filling in with guesswork.

Jonathan Vargas: What Happened After $35.3 Million at 19

Jonathan Vargas was 19 when he won a $35.3 million Powerball jackpot in South Carolina in May 2008, making him the youngest Powerball jackpot winner on record at the time and the first from his state. He took the lump sum, reported at roughly $17 million after withholding.

The aftermath is unusually well documented because it happened in public. Vargas financed a women’s professional wrestling television series called Wrestlicious Takedown, working with wrestling manager Jimmy Hart and producer Johnny Cafarella. The show premiered in March 2010 and was cancelled after 13 episodes.

Trade coverage of the wrestling business and later mainstream reporting documented that the venture consumed a large share of his winnings. Among the youngest lottery winners whose finances became public, Vargas is the clearest example of a single concentrated business bet absorbing a jackpot.

The Age Rules Behind the Youngest Lottery Winners

In the United States, there is no national lottery and no national minimum age. Each state sets its own rule for the games it runs, so the floor for the youngest lottery winners varies by where the ticket was bought.

• Most states with a lottery set the minimum purchase age at 18.
• Nebraska sets it at 19.
• Mississippi sets it at 21 under state law (Miss. Code § 27-115-73), which also requires retailers to check photo ID and imposes fines for selling to anyone younger. Arizona, Iowa, and Louisiana also require 21.

Not every young winner hits a jackpot, either. In July 2017, 19-year-old Rosa Dominguez of California won $555,555 on a $5 Power 5’s Scratcher bought in Paso Robles, then won $100,000 on a second scratcher days later — $655,555 total, confirmed by the California Lottery and reported by ABC News and the BBC.

Taxes and Paperwork the Headlines Skip

US lottery prizes are taxable income. The IRS requires payers to withhold federal income tax at a flat 24% on gambling winnings above $5,000 that meet the reporting rules, and the payer issues a Form W-2G showing the prize and any tax withheld. That withholding is not the final bill — the winner reports the income on their return, and the actual rate depends on their total income for the year.

State treatment varies, and some states tax lottery prizes while others do not. If you are ever in this position, the IRS and your state revenue agency are the places to confirm what applies to your situation, and a licensed tax professional is who you would ask about your own return.

The benefits side also comes up often. If a household receives SSI, SNAP, Medicaid, or housing assistance, reporting requirements generally apply to lottery winnings, and how a prize affects eligibility depends on the specific program and the person’s circumstances. The Social Security Administration, your state SNAP or Medicaid office, and your housing authority are the offices that can answer for an individual case.

What Winners Can Learn From the Youngest Lottery Winners

The documented record across these cases points to a few consistent patterns, stated as observations rather than instructions.

Publicity is not always optional. Several US states require the winner’s name and city to be disclosed, and both Rogers and Lamour became international news within days. Missler used a trust to claim; Rogers dealt with years of tabloid coverage.

Concentration carried the most visible risk. Vargas put a large share of a $17 million payout into one entertainment venture that folded after 13 episodes. Rogers has said the money went across property, gifts, and personal spending over roughly a decade.

Age itself became a policy question, not just a personal one. The UK raised its lottery age to 18 after a consultation that weighed evidence on harm to young players — the only case here where one of the youngest lottery winners is directly connected to a change in the law.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the youngest lottery jackpot winner ever?

Callie Rogers, who won £1,875,000 on the UK National Lottery in July 2003 at age 16, is the youngest major jackpot winner on record. The UK later raised its minimum lottery age to 18, so that record cannot be matched there.

Who is the youngest US lottery winner?

Jonathan Vargas was 19 when he won a $35.3 million Powerball jackpot in South Carolina in 2008. Shane Missler was 20 when he claimed $451 million in Florida in 2018 — the largest US jackpot won by someone that young.

How old do you have to be to buy a lottery ticket?

It depends on the state. Most set the minimum at 18. Nebraska requires 19, and Arizona, Iowa, Louisiana, and Mississippi require 21. Check your state lottery’s official site, since these rules are set by state law.

Do young lottery winners pay the same taxes as everyone else?

Yes. Age does not change how the IRS treats lottery winnings. Federal withholding of 24% applies to qualifying prizes over $5,000, a Form W-2G is issued, and the winner’s final tax depends on their total income. State rules vary.

Know the Rules Where You Live

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Sources & How to Verify

The facts on this page are drawn from official government and primary sources. Rules and figures change, so always confirm the current details with the official agency or the promotion’s own published rules.

• FTC Consumer Advice: consumer.ftc.gov — prize, sweepstakes, and lottery scam guidance
• IRS: irs.gov — how prizes and winnings are treated as income
• Social Security Administration: ssa.gov — what SSI recipients must report
• The promotion’s official rules: every legitimate sweepstakes publishes them — the rules page is always the final word

Content last reviewed August 2026. If you notice outdated information, please contact us.

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Informational only — not legal, tax, or financial advice. Win Big Daily is an independent educational resource. Prize rules, tax treatment, and benefit-program requirements vary by state and program and change over time, so always verify the current details with the official agency, the promotion’s published rules, or a qualified professional before acting. If a topic involves government benefits, contact the program office about your specific situation.