At first, the winner didn't believe it. The ticket was a Quick Pick, a single line of US Powerball numbers bought at Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh in Quincy, Illinois, for the drawing on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, and it won a US$1.04 billion jackpot. As the winner later told Illinois Lottery officials, they called a family member to confirm it.
The six numbers drawn on August 12
In its August 13 announcement, Powerball said a single ticket sold in Illinois had matched all six numbers drawn that Wednesday night: white balls 4, 26, 66, 67 and 69, and the red Powerball 9. With final ticket sales, the jackpot reached US$1.04 billion, which Powerball called the largest Powerball prize won in 2026 up to that point and the eighth-largest jackpot in the game's history. Anyone holding a ticket for August 12 can check the full results for that night's draw.
"I chose a Quick Pick and spent just $2 on a single line of Powerball numbers," the winner said in remarks released by the Illinois Lottery. "I never could have imagined that a $2 purchase would lead to a $1.04 billion jackpot."
The claim, nearly a month on
On September 15, 2026, the Illinois Lottery confirmed that the sole winner had come forward to claim the prize, nearly a month after the drawing. It described the jackpot as the second-largest lottery prize ever won in Illinois.
The winner has elected to remain anonymous. Under Illinois law, the Illinois Lottery noted, winners of prizes of US$250,000 or more may make that request. For several weeks before the claim, the winner worked with professional legal and financial advisors to prepare for it, according to the Illinois Lottery. Amanda Crosas, manager of the Illinois Lottery's Chicago Prize Center, assisted the winner's legal representatives with the claim.
"You could feel the excitement in the room — we all had a little extra bounce in our steps that day," Crosas said in the Illinois Lottery's release. "I can only imagine what this moment must feel like for the winner and the people closest to them."
The winner said in the same release: "Even after claiming the prize, I'm still processing the news and experiencing the full range of emotions that come with winning a billion-dollar jackpot — from disbelief and shock to overwhelming elation."
Choosing the lump sum
According to Powerball, the prize could be taken either as an annuitized prize of US$1.04 billion, paid in 30 graduated payments over 29 years, or as a lump-sum payment of US$450.5 million, and both figures are before taxes. The winner elected the lump sum rather than the annuity, the Illinois Lottery said. It also noted that the winner had 12 months from the date of the drawing to claim the prize, and 60 days from the drawing to choose the lump-sum option.
That prize is taxable in the United States: federal withholding applies to a single prize of this size, and most states tax lottery winnings as well. This is general information rather than tax advice, and the IRS or a tax professional is the place for specifics.
A US$1.04 billion US Powerball jackpot is a hard number to picture. It's natural to look for meaning when a Quick Pick lands a jackpot this size, but each draw is random, and the jackpot is a long shot for any one set of numbers. Recent draws are on the US Powerball results page.
The August 12 jackpot has its place in Powerball's history. The name behind it stays with the winner.
If you play, be of legal age where you live and keep it to a budget you set in advance. If gambling ever stops feeling like entertainment, free and confidential help is available around the clock from the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-MY-RESET.
Always confirm winning numbers, prize amounts, and deadlines with the official operator before acting on a ticket — the operator's published results are the only ones that count.
Sources
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Powerball.com (Multi-State Lottery Association), August 13, 2026 — $1.040 billion Powerball jackpot won in Illinois
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Illinois Lottery, release published on Powerball.com, September 15, 2026 — Mystery Solved: Illinois Lottery Confirms $1.04 Billion Powerball Jackpot Has Been Claimed
