Powerball Winner: $1.04 Billion Jackpot Won

Updated: August 13, 2026

A single Powerball ticket sold in Illinois matched all six numbers to win the estimated $1.04 billion jackpot.

Someone in Illinois is holding one of the biggest winning Powerball tickets in American lottery history. A single ticket matched all six numbers in the Wednesday, August 12, 2026, drawing and won the estimated $1.04 billion Powerball jackpot. The winner has not yet been publicly identified. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}

The winning ticket matched the numbers 4, 26, 66, 67, 69 and the red Powerball 9. The ticket was sold in Illinois, ending a long stretch without a Powerball jackpot winner. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}

Powerball Winning Numbers

Number	Result
White Ball	4
White Ball	26
White Ball	66
White Ball	67
White Ball	69
Powerball	9
Power Play	2x

The official Powerball results confirm that the August 12 drawing produced a jackpot winner in Illinois. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}

Where Was the Winning Powerball Ticket Sold?

The winning jackpot ticket was sold in Quincy, Illinois, at a Hy-Vee gas station. The ticket became the sole jackpot-winning ticket from Wednesday night's drawing. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}

The winner has not yet been identified publicly. Lottery officials will have to verify the ticket before the prize can be claimed.

How Much Is the Powerball Winner Getting?

The advertised jackpot was approximately $1.04 billion in annuity payments. The winner also has the option of taking a significantly smaller immediate cash payment.

According to the official Powerball results, the estimated cash value was $450.5 million before taxes. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}

Prize Option	Estimated Amount
Annuity	$1.04 billion
Cash option	$450.5 million
Taxes	Not included in advertised amounts

The advertised jackpot and cash value are both before applicable federal and state taxes.

Why the $1.04 Billion Win Is Significant

The jackpot ranks among the largest prizes ever offered by Powerball. It is also the largest U.S. lottery jackpot won so far in 2026, according to current reports. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}

The win also ended a remarkable streak. The jackpot had not been won since May 2, meaning Wednesday's drawing came after 44 consecutive drawings without a jackpot winner. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}

That extended streak allowed the jackpot to grow dramatically as players across the country continued buying tickets.

Illinois Gets Its Biggest Powerball Moment

The Illinois winner has now secured a place among the state's biggest Powerball jackpot winners.

The victory is especially notable because the ticket was the only one in the entire drawing to match all six numbers.

The winner will now face one of the biggest financial decisions imaginable: whether to accept the long-term annuity or take the immediate cash option.

What Happens After Winning?

Winning the numbers is only the beginning of the process.

The ticket must be presented and validated by the appropriate lottery authorities before the prize can be paid. The winner will also need to make a decision about how to receive the jackpot.

For a prize of this size, financial and legal planning can become extremely important. A jackpot winner may need professional advice concerning taxes, investments, estate planning and privacy.

$450.5 Million Cash or $1.04 Billion Annuity?

The winner has two basic choices.

The first is the advertised $1.04 billion annuity, which is paid over a long period. The second is the estimated $450.5 million cash option, which provides the winner with a much larger amount immediately but at a lower total advertised value. :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}

Neither figure represents the amount the winner will necessarily keep after taxes.

The final decision will depend on the winner's financial circumstances, tax situation and personal preferences.

Five Other Major Winning Tickets

Wednesday's drawing produced more than just one major winner.

Five other tickets matched all five white balls and won significant prizes. Four tickets, sold in Arizona, California, Florida and North Carolina, won $1 million each. A ticket sold in Massachusetts used the Power Play option and won $2 million. :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}

More than 3 million tickets won prizes of various sizes in the drawing. :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}

What Were the Powerball Numbers Again?

For anyone checking a ticket from the August 12 drawing, the numbers were:

4   26   66   67   69   |   Powerball 9

The Power Play multiplier was 2x. :contentReference[oaicite:10]{index=10}

Players should check their tickets carefully because many smaller prizes were also awarded in the drawing.

When Is the Next Powerball Drawing?

After the $1.04 billion jackpot was won, the Powerball jackpot resets to its starting level.

The next advertised jackpot is expected to begin at approximately $20 million for the next drawing. :contentReference[oaicite:11]{index=11}

Powerball drawings are normally held three times each week, on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.

Powerball's Biggest Jackpot Still Stands

Although $1.04 billion is an enormous amount of money, it is not the largest Powerball jackpot ever recorded.

The record remains the $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot won by a single ticket in California in November 2022. :contentReference[oaicite:12]{index=12}

The new Illinois win ranks as the eighth-largest Powerball prize in the game's history. :contentReference[oaicite:13]{index=13}

Could the Winner Remain Anonymous?

Whether the Illinois winner can keep their identity private depends on Illinois lottery rules and the circumstances of the claim.

The winner has not been publicly identified at the time of publication. That means the person holding the ticket could still be deciding how and when to claim the enormous prize.

For a jackpot of this size, privacy can become an important consideration, particularly because the winner's life could change dramatically once the identity becomes public.

What Makes This Win Different?

Several factors make the August 12 drawing particularly notable.

• Jackpot: Approximately $1.04 billion.
• Winning state: Illinois.
• Winning ticket: One jackpot-winning ticket.
• Winning numbers: 4, 26, 66, 67, 69 and Powerball 9.
• Cash value: Approximately $450.5 million before taxes.
• Power Play: 2x.
• Jackpot rank: Eighth-largest Powerball prize.
• Next jackpot: Expected to reset to $20 million.

Final Thoughts

The Powerball jackpot has finally been won after months of rollovers, and the winning ticket was sold in Illinois. One ticket matched all six numbers in the August 12, 2026 drawing to claim the estimated $1.04 billion prize. :contentReference[oaicite:14]{index=14}

The winner can choose between an estimated $1.04 billion annuity and an estimated $450.5 million cash option, with both figures representing amounts before taxes. :contentReference[oaicite:15]{index=15}

The winning numbers were 4, 26, 66, 67, 69 and Powerball 9. Four other tickets won $1 million by matching the five white balls, while a Massachusetts ticket won $2 million with the Power Play option. :contentReference[oaicite:16]{index=16}

For now, the identity of the Illinois jackpot winner remains unknown. What is certain is that one lottery ticket has turned an ordinary $2 purchase into one of the largest lottery fortunes in American history.

Editorial note: This article was updated on August 13, 2026, using the latest official Powerball results and current reporting. The winner's identity and claim status may be updated when Illinois lottery officials release additional information.