A single Powerball ticket sold in Illinois matched all six numbers in Wednesday night's drawing, claiming an estimated $1.04 billion jackpot. The winning numbers were 4, 26, 66, 67, 69, and red Powerball 9.
According to the Powerball lottery organization, the jackpot is the largest of 2026 and the eighth-largest in the game's history. Wednesday's drawing was the 44th consecutive drawing without a jackpot winner, going back to the last win on May 2.
The winner faces a choice between two payout options. They can take the full annuitized prize, paid out over 29 years, or accept a lump cash payment of $450.5 million. Both figures are before taxes.
For context, last year produced two Powerball jackpots exceeding $1 billion. A $1.8 billion jackpot was won on Christmas Eve 2025, making it the biggest U.S. lottery prize ever recorded. A $1.787 billion jackpot won in September 2025, claimed by two tickets in Missouri and Texas, ranked as the third-largest prize in U.S. lottery history.
The identity of the Illinois winner has not yet been announced.
