hit the jackpot

Idioms and Phrases

Be highly successful, especially unexpectedly; win, especially a lot of money. For example, She hit the jackpot at the auction; that platter turned out to be genuine Meissen . This term comes from a form of poker in which a hand can be opened only if one holds at least a pair of jacks (or higher). Often a number of hands must be dealt before anyone can open, and since players must put in money for each round, the jackpot , or total amount held, is apt to be quite large. [Early 1900s]

Example Sentences

Westwick proposed in January, saying he “hit the jackpot” a little more than a year after making their relationship public.

From Los Angeles Times

Kirat Assi thought she'd hit the jackpot when Bobby, a handsome cardiologist, got in touch with her in 2009.

From BBC

He soon hit the jackpot after he found a six-carat diamond, which was worth a fortune 50 years ago.

From BBC

“And so when I got Playwrights Horizons, which is one of my favorite off-Broadway theaters, where so many of my heroes had passed through, like Sondheim with ‘Sunday in the Park With George’ and Bill Finn with ‘Falsettos,’ I thought, ‘Oh, I hit the jackpot. That’s my ceiling. I can die now.’

From Los Angeles Times

The Hawks hit the jackpot despite just 3% odds after finishing 10th in the Eastern Conference at 36-46.

From Seattle Times