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to hit the jackpot

to hit the jackpot

30 4.0
To have a big, unexpected success because of luck
  • idiom
  • /hɪt ðə ˈdʒækpɒt/
: hacerse rico
  • Leigh Jasper and Robert Phillpot hit the jackpot when they created a global document management firm back in 2000.

And in most cases, you'd never hit the jackpot and you end up just losing more.

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Examples

  • And the reason I mention those names is because she hit the jackpot when she was introduced to Prince Harry.

  • Because you never know when you're gonna hit the jackpot.

  • And in most cases, you never hit the jackpot and you end up just losing more.

  • Buddy, you just hit the jackpot.

  • Oh, I hit the jackpot with that guy.

  • We just hit the jackpot.

  • I felt like I had hit the jackpot.

    Blog text (4)
  • When I hit the jackpot, I'll buy myself an awesome car.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • I think we've hit the jackpot.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • After years of hard work, she finally hit the jackpot and landed her dream job.

Synonyms

to luck out
vsto hit the jackpot
  • Informal
24 8.0

To do well by chance

focuses on large or notable success that comes from chance
to hit it big
vsto hit the jackpot
  • Informal
9 5.1

To become very successful, often quickly

emphasizes that the success is large and usually also unexpected by chance
to hit a home run
vsto hit the jackpot
  • Informal
9 3.4

To have a big success people do not expect

is used when that strong success happens unexpectedly because of luck
to hit pay dirt
vsto hit the jackpot
  • Informal
9 7.5

To find big success or money after trying hard

differs by stressing that success comes unexpectedly by chance rather than effort
to hit the big time
vsto hit the jackpot
  • Informal
8 4.5

To become very successful and famous in your work

can describe that rise when it occurs suddenly by luck
to blow the doors off
vsto hit the jackpot
  • Informal
2 7.2

To do much better than people expect

is the same triumph when it happens through fortunate chance
to knock out of the box
vsto hit the jackpot
  • Informal
1 8.0

To impress many people by doing something very well

covers similar surprising success but highlights luck as the cause
to luck through
vsto hit the jackpot
  • UK
1 8.6

To succeed by chance without skill or planning

describes big success that is unexpected and owed to luck
to hit one out of the ballpark
vsto hit the jackpot
  • Informal
1 7.4

Do much better than expected

means similar success but adds that it often comes through luck
to strike it lucky
vsto hit the jackpot
  • UK
1 5.7

To get unexpected good luck

is about a large unexpected success that happens by chance

Antonyms

∞ 1.0

Not succeed in doing something you wanted to do

How Lucky

to hit the jackpot
30 4.0
to luck out
  • Informal
24 8.0

Surface Forms

hit the jackpot infinitive
hit the jackpot past participle
hitting the jackpot present participle
hits the jackpot third person singular

Morphology

hit + the + jackpot

The phrase literally combines 'hit' (to strike or reach) with 'jackpot' (a large prize), so a learner who knows both words can readily infer 'to obtain a big win' and by extension 'have great or unexpected success'. This gambling-based, compositional metaphor is common and thus generally transparent to B1 learners familiar with the constituent meanings.

Etymology

Hit the jackpot comes from gambling. When someone hits the right combination on a slot machine and wins the large jackpot — a sudden pile of coins or a big prize — it shows a quick, lucky win, so the phrase now means 'to have great or unexpected success'.