Here’s What You Could Buy With a $1 Billion Powerball Jackpot

Every once in a while, a very lucky person will wonder what to do with a Powerball jackpot they’ve won that tops $1 billion.

In reality, the winner won’t pocket the full amount. Taxes will take a very large bite out of the total, of course, and the winner will face the choice between a  lump sum or an annuity. But just for fun let’s see what, exactly, you could buy if you suddenly found yourself with a cool $1 billion in your bank account:

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2

Jeff Bezos’ yachts

Bezos, the founder of Amazon, has a 417-foot schooner that cost an estimated $500 million. The Koru has a 246-foot support ship, the Abeona, which has a helipad, just in case you forgot to pick up a loaf of bread on the way back from Monaco. With $1 billion, you could have two yachts the size of the Koru, just in case someone wants to borrow one.

2

Hope Diamonds

The Hope Diamond was worth an estimated $350 million in 2024. You could get two of the big blue diamonds with $1 billion with lots of cash left over, although removing the curse would probably be extra.​

10

F-35 fighter planes

Lots of rich folk have private planes. But do they have one that can wreak terror from the sky? You could, assuming any country in its right mind would sell you the most advanced U.S. warplane. In fact, you could have a fleet of 10 of the $100 million airplanes, although the airport would not be included.

18

SpaceX Tourist Trips

Travel is broadening, and what could be more broadening than a space trip? You could get your chance to see the world in three days on a 13-foot-wide SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule. To boot, you’ll go around the world every 90 minutes. And, because you’ve got $1 billion, and the trip costs $55 million per seat, you could make that trip 18 times.

79

Mickey Mantle rookie cards

Collectors argue about which baseball card is worth the most, but the 1952 Mickey Mantle rookie card is hard to beat. It fetched $12.6 million at auction in 2022. Are there even 79 Mickey Mantle rookie cards left? Probably not: Most wound up clipped to bicycle spokes.