Illinois Ticket Holder Scoops Billion-Dollar Powerball Jackpot
Thursday August 13th 2026Yesterday we told you about the upcoming billion-dollar jackpot up for grabs in Powerball. Today, there's a new billionaire in the Land of Lincoln after a single ticket matched every number in last night's Powerball draw.
The jackpot had climbed steadily for months, with nobody hitting the top prize since May 2nd, 2026. That streak is now over, and the Powerball prize pool has reset to its starting point of $20 million. Fittingly, the jackpot was claimed at almost the exact moment it crossed the billion-dollar threshold.
The Winning Numbers
Wednesday’s draw produced 4, 26, 66, 67, 69, with a red Powerball of 9. A single ticket-holder, whose identity hasn't been released, matched all six. Pulling off that feat is a longer shot than being struck by a meteorite: the odds of landing a Powerball jackpot sit at roughly 1 in 292.2 million.
Cash or Annuity?
Every jackpot winner faces the same choice: an annuity paid out in thirty yearly instalments, or a reduced cash sum paid all at once. Most winners choose the lump sum.
This isn't the first time a Powerball jackpot has cleared a billion dollars — it's just the first time it's happened in 2026. Even at ten figures, the prize ranks only eighth on the all-time list, well behind Edwin Castro's record $2.04 billion win in 2022.
More Winners Across the Board
The jackpot wasn't the only prize up for grabs. The draw also produced a handful of large second-tier wins, plus roughly 3.3 million smaller prizes across the USA and UK.
With the Power Play multiplier set at X2, a ticket bought in Massachusetts turned a $1 million second-tier prize into $2 million. Four more players — in Arizona, California, Florida, and North Carolina — each took home $1 million.
Get more lottery news and updates at Lottery.net.
What Happens Now?
With the jackpot claimed, Powerball starts climbing again from $20 million and will keep rolling over until someone matches all six numbers.
Anyone holding a ticket from this draw should double-check their numbers. Prizes of any size need to be claimed within a set window before they expire, and that deadline varies depending on which state the ticket was bought in.
Enter the Next Drawing
The next Powerball draw is set for Saturday, August 15th. Tickets are sold at licensed retailers — around 250,000 of them across 48 U.S. jurisdictions — and can also be bought online in select states.
Choose your own numbers or let the number generator pick for you. New to the game? The how-to-play guide on Lottery.net’s main game page covers everything: pick your numbers, decide on Power Play, choose how many draws to enter, and complete your purchase.
Good luck in the next draw, and play responsibly.
Latest News