• New research reveals the luckiest state and unluckiest US states to win money, factoring in lottery winners, game show winners, and even tax rates
• South Carolina is the ninth luckiest state, with seven Mega Millions and Powerball winners
• Florida is crowned the luckiest state, with Mississippi ranking as the most unlucky state

With a 13 per cent increase in US Google search volume for the lottery in the past month, a new study has revealed the luckiest and unluckiest states with money in America, and it’s good news for residents of South Carolina, who ranked ninth.

The research from SlotMatrix, ranked all 50 states in the US, taking into account a range of different ‘lucky’ monetary factors. 

Some of which include the number of Mega Millions jackpot and Powerball jackpot winners, as well as the average total value of prize money won. The research also factored in the number of famous game show winners from each state, and even the income tax rates and anonymity laws around winning big in each US state. 

The study revealed that those from South Carolina are the ninth luckiest with money across the US, with a score of 45.1 out of 100. 

With seven lottery jackpots claimed to date, including some of the biggest Mega Millions and Powerball payouts, residents of Tennessee have hit the jackpot more than most. 

The average total prize money won per winner exceeds $299 million, which is the second highest amount in this top ten. 

The top 10 luckiest states with money in the US

Florida ranked as the luckiest state in the US, with a score of 58.7 out of 100. It has 22 lottery winners, winning over $270 million on average. Not only this, but the Sunshine State also has zero income tax, which is fantastic when compared to other states, like California, where the income tax is 13.3 per cent.

Illinois came in second, with a score of 51.9 out of 100. The Prairie State has had 18 lottery winners, along with five gameshow champions. Illinois also has very generous laws around remaining anonymous after winning big.

Why South Carolina is the 9th Luckiest State

New Hampshire is tied for the third luckiest state in the US, as it achieved a score of 48.1 out of 100. The state’s 12 lottery jackpot winners have collectively secured over $85 million each on average, and even though there’s just one game show winner from the state, it does have a favorable tax policy and high per-capita lottery winners in its favor. 

Although California has the highest income tax rate in the country, at 13.3 per cent, it does also have the highest number of lottery winners in the US, coming in at 52 in total. The Golden State’s sheer volume of big wins, paired with nine game show winners and large prize totals, see it land in third, again with a score of 48.1 out of 100.

Texas ranks as the fifth luckiest state in the US, with a score of 48 out of 100. The Lone Star State benefits from no state income tax, helping 17 lottery winners keep more of their $176 million average payouts. The state also has two high-profile game show winners, further proving that fortune smiles big in Texas.

Maine ranks as the sixth luckiest state in the US (46.7), despite only having one major lottery winner, but that win was a record-breaker that saw the lucky winner rake in over $1.34 billion. Followed by Tennessee (46.6), Washington state (45.2), and Maryland in tenth (40.3). 

At the other end of the table, the unluckiest state with money was found to be Mississippi, with a score of 12 out of 100. Wyoming (20) and North Dakota (16.2) were the only other two states, along with Mississippi, to have a lottery but no big winners in the Mega Millions or Powerball jackpots. 

Commenting on the study, a SlotMatrix spokesperson said: “With interest in the lottery increasing by 13 per cent in the last month alone, we wanted to discover which states are the luckiest and unluckiest when it comes to money.

“South Carolina came out as one of the luckiest states in the US, thanks to its impressive number of lottery winners, and huge jackpot totals.

“On the other hand, residents in Mississippi might want to be extra cautious when thinking about entering the lottery or game shows, as the data suggests it’s the unluckiest state when it comes to big-money wins.”