Illinois player wins $1.040 billion Powerball jackpot
A single Powerball ticket sold in Illinois has won a $1.040 billion jackpot, the eighth-largest prize in the game’s history and the biggest Powerball jackpot won so far in 2026, Qazinform News Agency reports.
According to Powerball’s report, the winning ticket matched all six numbers drawn Wednesday night: white balls 4, 26, 66, 67 and 69, plus the red Powerball 9. The Power Play multiplier was 2.
The winner can choose between an annuity prize of $1.040 billion, paid in 30 graduated installments over 29 years, or a lump-sum payment of $450.5 million. Both amounts are before taxes.
Powerball representatives congratulated the Illinois winner, noting that growing participation fuels larger jackpots and generates greater excitement around the game.
Congratulations to our newest Powerball jackpot winner in Illinois, said Stephen Durrell, Chair of the Powerball Product Group and Executive Director of the Kansas Lottery. For more than three decades, Powerball has shown that a winning ticket can be sold anywhere the game is played, giving every $2 ticket the chance to change not only a winner’s life, but generations to come. As participation continues to grow across markets, players are helping fuel larger jackpots and create even greater excitement for the game.
The jackpot was won in the 44th consecutive drawing of the current jackpot run, which began after the previous jackpot was claimed on May 2. It was also the first Powerball jackpot run to include players from the United Kingdom, where ticket sales began on July 21, 2026.
More than 3 million tickets won cash prizes in Wednesday’s drawing by matching one or more of the winning numbers.
Five tickets matched all five white balls. Four, sold in Arizona, California, Florida and North Carolina, won the $1 million Match 5 prize. A fifth ticket sold in Massachusetts included the Power Play option and won $2 million. California prizes are pari-mutuel and vary according to sales and the number of winners.
The next Powerball drawing will be held Saturday, with the jackpot resetting to $20 million. Because the advertised jackpot is below $150 million, the 10X Power Play multiplier will be available.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that a Florida lottery player had won an $800 million Mega Millions jackpot, the game’s largest prize in 2026 and the 10th-largest in Mega Millions history.