Quincy gas station sold the winning ticket for the 8th-largest jackpot in Powerball history
By Todd Northrop
A single lottery ticket sold at a gas station in Quincy, Illinois matched all six numbers in Wednesday night's Powerball drawing to win a jackpot worth $1.0402 billion.
The win ended a run of 43 consecutive drawings without a jackpot winner. Wednesday's drawing was the 44th of the run, which began after two tickets sold in Florida and Texas split a $20 million jackpot on May 2, 2026.
Powerball advertised the jackpot at $1 billion going into the drawing. After final ticket sales were counted, the prize came in at $1.0402 billion — $1,040,200,000 exactly — with a cash option of $450.5 million.
That makes it the 8th-largest jackpot in Powerball history and the 15th-largest lottery jackpot ever awarded in the United States. The cash value ranks 21st all-time — $300,000 above the $450.2 million cash option from the January 2022 Powerball jackpot split by California and Wisconsin. (The full top-25 lists of annuity and cash values can be found below.)
It is the largest lottery prize won anywhere in the country so far in 2026, and the sixth Powerball jackpot won this year.
Where the ticket was sold
The winning ticket was purchased at the Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh gas station at 310 N. 36th Street in Quincy, a store listed in lottery records as Hy-Vee Gas #1534. The location sits at North 36th and Broadway.
Quincy is a city of about 40,000 on the Mississippi River in western Illinois, on the Missouri border and roughly 100 miles west of Springfield.
Jon Marshall, the Fast & Fresh manager, told WGEM that the phone had not stopped ringing since the early morning hours. "It's crazy, I've been getting calls since 3 a.m.," Marshall said.
Hy-Vee said in a statement that the company was thrilled a life-changing ticket had been sold at the North 36th Street store, and congratulated whoever is holding it. The company also urged anyone who bought a ticket for Wednesday's drawing to check it carefully.
For selling the winning ticket, the store will receive a bonus of $500,000 — the maximum bonus the Illinois Lottery ever pays a retailer for selling a winning ticket.
This is the third Powerball jackpot won in Illinois since the state joined the game in January 2010, and the second Illinois ticket to win a grand prize above $1 billion. The first was the $1.337 billion Mega Millions jackpot won on July 29, 2022, on a ticket sold at a gas station in Des Plaines.
Claiming the prize
The winner has not been identified and may never be. Illinois allows winners of prizes over $250,000 to request that their identity be kept private by selecting that option on the claim form.
Prizes over $1 million must be claimed in person through the Illinois Lottery Claims Department in Springfield.
Two deadlines apply. A winner who wants the cash option must claim it within 60 days of the drawing, which falls on October 11, 2026. A winner who takes the annuity has one year, until August 12, 2027.
Illinois withholds 4.95% in state tax on lottery prizes. A winner taking the cash option would net roughly $261.6 million after federal and state taxes, according to USA Mega's Powerball Jackpot Analysis for the drawing.
Lottery Post maintains a state-by-state guide to anonymity laws across the USA and some other nations. For a prize this size, winners are advised to assemble a financial and legal team before claiming. Lottery Post's guide for lottery winners covers that ground along with other advice for large jackpot winners.
"Congratulations to our newest Powerball jackpot winner in Illinois," Stephen Durrell, Powerball Product Group chair and executive director of the Kansas Lottery, said in a press release. Durrell added that over more than three decades the game has demonstrated that a winning ticket can turn up anywhere Powerball is sold, and that every $2 ticket carries the chance to change a winner's life and the lives of those who follow.
The drawing was also the first billion-dollar Powerball jackpot to be drawn since players in the United Kingdom joined the game on July 21. No UK ticket won the grand prize.
The Powerball winning numbers for Wednesday, August 12, 2026, were 4, 26, 66, 67, and 69, with Powerball number 9. The Power Play number was 2.
The Wednesday Double Play drawing results were 3, 4, 19, 21, and 58, with Powerball number 8. No ticket matched all six Double Play numbers for the $10 million top prize, and no ticket matched the first five numbers for $500,000. Five tickets matched four numbers plus the Powerball to win $50,000 each.
Double Play is a game option currently available in 25 states plus Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands that lets you play your numbers in a second drawing for an extra $1 per play, with a chance to win up to $10 million in cash. See How to Play Powerball at USA Mega for more information about Double Play.
Other big winners
Aside from the jackpot, five players matched the first five numbers: 1 from Arizona, 1 from California, 1 from Florida, 1 from Massachusetts (with Power Play), and 1 from North Carolina.
The Arizona, Florida, and North Carolina tickets are each worth $1,000,000. The Massachusetts ticket was purchased with the Power Play option, which doubled the second prize to $2,000,000.
The California ticket is worth $820,520, less than the standard second prize, because California awards all prizes on a pari-mutuel basis.
When a Powerball ticket is purchased with the Power Play option for an extra $1 per ticket, a second-prize win is doubled and any other non-jackpot prize is multiplied by the Power Play number drawn that evening. A complete list of prizes available for matching various numbers can be found on the Powerball Drawing Detail page at USA Mega, as well as on the Powerball Prize Payouts and the Powerball Double Play Prize Payouts pages at Lottery Post.
The official drawing videos can also be found on the Powerball Drawing Detail page at USA Mega.
The Power Play option is not available in California, because the fixed nature of the prize increase offered with the Power Play is not compatible with California's pari-mutuel payouts.
Also, a total of 84 tickets matched four of the first five numbers plus the Powerball to win a $50,000 prize. Of those tickets, 16 were purchased with the Power Play option, increasing the prize to $100,000, and 13 were sold in California, where the prize awarded this drawing is $16,158.
In the United Kingdom, in its fourth week in the game, no ticket matched five numbers or better. The best British result was two tickets that matched four numbers plus the Powerball, worth £33,662.10 each. UK players held 89,641 winning tickets in the drawing, taking £1,207,434.80 in total prizes. Had a UK ticket won the jackpot, it would have been advertised there as £542,929,942.20 — the after-tax total of all 30 annual payments, which is how the UK states its Powerball jackpots.
All non-jackpot prizes in the UK are funded strictly by tickets sold in that country. The only money that flows back and forth across the Atlantic is to fund the jackpot.
Counting every jurisdiction, the drawing produced 3,290,881 winning tickets. Including the Double Play drawing, the night paid out $30,376,781 in United States prize money, plus the British total above.
The next Powerball drawing will take place Saturday night at 10:59 p.m. Eastern Time with the jackpot amount reset to its starting point of $20 million.
Powerball is currently offered for sale in 45 states, plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the United Kingdom. Drawings are Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays at 10:59 pm Eastern Time. Tickets cost $2 each in the United States and £4 per line in the UK.
Powerball lottery results are published within minutes of the drawing at USA Mega (www.usamega.com). The USA Mega Web site provides lottery players in-depth information about the United States's two biggest multi-state lottery games, Mega Millions and Powerball.
Top 25 United States lottery jackpots of all time
Wednesday's Powerball jackpot was the 15th-largest lottery jackpot in United States history.
- Powerball: $2.0401 billion, Nov. 7, 2022 (40 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - California
- Powerball: $1.8168 billion, Dec. 24, 2025 (46 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Arkansas
- Powerball: $1.7874 billion, Sep. 6, 2025 (41 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Missouri, Texas
- Powerball: $1.7649 billion, Oct. 11, 2023 (35 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - California
- Mega Millions: $1.602 billion, Aug. 8, 2023 (31 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Florida
- Powerball: $1.5864 billion, Jan. 13, 2016 (19 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - California, Florida, Tennessee
- Mega Millions: $1.537 billion, Oct. 23, 2018 (25 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - South Carolina
- Mega Millions: $1.348 billion, Jan. 13, 2023 (25 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Maine
- Mega Millions: $1.337 billion, Jul. 29, 2022 (29 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Illinois
- Powerball: $1.3259 billion, Apr. 6, 2024 (40 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Oregon
- Mega Millions: $1.269 billion, Dec. 27, 2024 (30 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - California
- Mega Millions: $1.128 billion, Mar. 26, 2024 (30 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - New Jersey
- Powerball: $1.0798 billion, Jul. 19, 2023 (38 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - California
- Mega Millions: $1.05 billion, Jan. 22, 2021 (36 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Michigan
- Powerball: $1.0402 billion, Aug. 12, 2026 (43 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Illinois
- Mega Millions: $983 million, Nov. 14, 2025 (39 rollovers, starting at $50 million) - Georgia
- Powerball: $842.4 million, Jan. 1, 2024 (34 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Michigan
- Mega Millions: $800 million, Jul. 28, 2026 (37 rollovers, starting at $50 million) - Florida
- Mega Millions: $800 million, Sep. 10, 2024 (27 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Texas
- Powerball: $768.4 million, Mar. 27, 2019 (25 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - Wisconsin
- Powerball: $758.7 million, Aug. 23, 2017 (20 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - Massachusetts
- Powerball: $754.6 million, Feb. 6, 2023 (33 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Washington
- Powerball: $731.1 million, Jan. 20, 2021 (35 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Maryland
- Powerball: $699.8 million, Oct. 4, 2021 (40 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - California
- Powerball: $687.8 million, Oct. 27, 2018 (21 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - Iowa, New York
The number of jackpots in the top 25, by lottery game, are:
- Powerball: 15
- Mega Millions: 10
Top 25 cash value jackpots
Since many lottery winners collect their winnings in cash, the lump-sum payout is an important measure of what a winning ticket could be worth.
Looking at the cash value, Wednesday's Powerball jackpot ranks as the 21st-largest cash value in history.
- Powerball: $997.6 million cash, Nov. 7, 2022 ($2.0401 billion annuity) - California
- Powerball: $983.5 million cash, Jan. 13, 2016 ($1.5864 billion annuity) - California, Florida, Tennessee
- Mega Millions: $877.8 million cash, Oct. 23, 2018 ($1.537 billion annuity) - South Carolina
- Powerball: $834.9 million cash, Dec. 24, 2025 ($1.8168 billion annuity) - Arkansas
- Powerball: $820.6 million cash, Sep. 6, 2025 ($1.7874 billion annuity) - Missouri, Texas
- Mega Millions: $794.2 million cash, Aug. 8, 2023 ($1.602 billion annuity) - Florida
- Mega Millions: $780.5 million cash, Jul. 29, 2022 ($1.337 billion annuity) - Illinois
- Mega Millions: $776.6 million cash, Jan. 22, 2021 ($1.05 billion annuity) - Michigan
- Powerball: $774.1 million cash, Oct. 11, 2023 ($1.7649 billion annuity) - California
- Mega Millions: $723.5 million cash, Jan. 13, 2023 ($1.348 billion annuity) - Maine
- Powerball: $621 million cash, Apr. 6, 2024 ($1.3259 billion annuity) - Oregon
- Mega Millions: $571.9 million cash, Dec. 27, 2024 ($1.269 billion annuity) - California
- Powerball: $558.1 million cash, Jul. 19, 2023 ($1.0798 billion annuity) - California
- Powerball: $546.8 million cash, Jan. 20, 2021 ($731.1 million annuity) - Maryland
- Mega Millions: $536.6 million cash, Mar. 26, 2024 ($1.128 billion annuity) - New Jersey
- Powerball: $496 million cash, Oct. 4, 2021 ($699.8 million annuity) - California
- Powerball: $480.5 million cash, Aug. 23, 2017 ($758.7 million annuity) - Massachusetts
- Powerball: $477 million cash, Mar. 27, 2019 ($768.4 million annuity) - Wisconsin
- Mega Millions: $471 million cash, Mar. 30, 2012 ($656 million annuity) - Illinois, Kansas, Maryland
- Mega Millions: $453.6 million cash, Nov. 14, 2025 ($983 million annuity) - Georgia
- Powerball: $450.5 million cash, Aug. 12, 2026 ($1.0402 billion annuity) - Illinois
- Powerball: $450.2 million cash, Jan. 5, 2022 ($632.6 million annuity) - California, Wisconsin
- Powerball: $425.2 million cash, Jan. 1, 2024 ($842.4 million annuity) - Michigan
- Powerball: $407.2 million cash, Feb. 6, 2023 ($754.6 million annuity) - Washington
- Mega Millions: $404.2 million cash, Sep. 10, 2024 ($800 million annuity) - Texas
The number of jackpot cash values in the top 25, by lottery game, are:
- Powerball: 15
- Mega Millions: 10
The mentality I had, as many others share is that winning $20 million is better than nothing I've had a change of heart. Stopped playing MM and now PB. Just not 'fun' anymore IMHO. Yes, when they get sky high will play again!
See my FA and going to direct him to increase my IRA monthly check by $500. That is all 'play' money for me, realizing I won't live long enough to ever recoup all my donations to it so why not?
I know Millionaire for Life isn't the greatest, but will start playing it more often. One lady here won, I think first in the country (?) secondary prize and took the cash option $2.2 million pre-tax!
I agree. I prefer games like Millionaire for life but it's not in my state. South Carolina used to have lucky for life then got rid of it. I do not play scratch offs. I am not spending $5 for MM. Powerball I lost interest stopped playing this year. I am in my early 30s did not start playing the lottery until my mid/late 20s.
I think other people feel the same because the jackpot climbs even slower. It's just not fun anymore. That's why I think ticket sales continue to decline despite adding UK players, there are no record breaking jackpots passing the world records with MM and Powerball. It seems the Powerball will keep the starting jackpot at $20M. I thought they would change that but I guess not. I rather spend my money on other things. But congratulations to whoever won.
Congratulations to the winner. I always hope it's a group of coworkers or something or a lottery pool of deserving people.
Anyways I matched the Powerball plus one number which ironically is the same payout as only winning the Powerball number, which seems stingy as hell!
Congratulations 🎉 to the jackpot winner(s).
May the win bring you freedom and joy.
I stayed true to one ticket a draw despite the jackpot amount.
I got my ticket for the next draw - I understand that for some $20M with a take home of around $5M is not worth the time and money, but for me it's a good win.
I was in Denver and got one Colorado Lotto plus ticket for 9 draws with the plus on.
Hoping for the best, the jackpot is around $9M with a $4.6M cash option before tax.
Good luck to all.
Congratulations to the winner. Even with the addition of UK, the jackpot still reset at $20M. MUSL you are screwing up this game. The jackpot should reset at least $50M. Make this game fun again MUSL.
Although the Illinois Lottery says a winner can stay anonymous, one needs to continue reading to find the truth. The document allowing one to stay "anonymous" also says this: "I understand that this will
not prevent disclosure of my name and municipality of residence if requested under the
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)"
I can only imagine someone WILL use the FOIA request and get a name. I wouldn't rely on the Illinois Lottery to keep your name private. I'd leave that ticket blank and contact a lawyer about how to claim the ticket through a trust, LLC, etc. to truly stay anonymous.
MY OPINION: ALL STATES SHOULD BE CHANGING THEIR LAWS TO ALLOW ANONYMITY ON LARGE JACKPOTS.
I played 6,50,51,52,63 PB (15) because i knew it was going to be a crazy set of numbers; don't ask why i knew that...
This is the first large PB jackpot with UK also offering the game.
What I do not understand is the the final jackpot was about $1,040M, that in GBP would be GBP773M.
In UK instead the jackpot was advertised as GBP543M.
I wonder where the missing ca. GBP230M go ......
I'll start playing Mil4Life sometime between now and when PB or MM reaches 500 mil. I am attracted to everything about it minus the $5 price per ticket.
In the meantime I'll play my states MegaBucks which is record breakingly high at nearly 27 mil.
As an aside seeing PB is now 20 mil and MM is 90 mil which game will reach half a billion first ?
Have a shaggy day!
ShagE3
I stayed nearly true to my lottery purchasing discipline .... . I bought three tickets for Wednesday nights 1 bil + jackpot. I should have played two tickets .... and if I had id have three more $$$ in my wallet but oh well.
Now I lie and wait for the first lotto to reach $500 mil then I strike and put down three dollars for a dream .
Somehow I believe it won't take 44 draws to reach a billion next time the FEVER spreads because of our friends across the pond and all
Have a shaggy day
ShagE3
Jackpot777, Australian playslips have a NP box on them, No Publicity, a great idea.
One of the stores I usually purchase lottery tickets at has cameras on their lottery terminal and the kiosks. Bet the Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh gas station has cameras too so there is a good chance complete anonymity might not be possible. Hopefully the winner will have all their affairs in order before their information is known.
It's a problem but a problem most of us wouldn't mind having.
all that money when the jackpot gets hugh all rigged!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
l wonder 🤔 how they picked the numbers was it a personal number or a quick pick ticket. Am asking because if it is a quick pick then great if it was personal number then they lost $10,000,000 already in tax. Let me explain they bought ticket 🎫 between Missouri and Illinois and Illinois state tax about 5 percent Missouri about 4 percent difference one percent and one percent of one billion is $10,000,000 that pays for my strip clubs for life Vip membership 🏖️😂😀😆👍✌️😎
Unfortunately, the answer to your main question (quick pick vs. personal numbers) isn't in the reports yet—the winner hasn't come forward.
Here's the breakdown on your tax math and the prize:
· The Tax "Loss": Your number is off. The winner's state tax liability is determined by where they bought the ticket (Illinois), not where they live. So, they face Illinois's 4.95% rate regardless. Missouri's 4.7% rate is irrelevant here.
· The Actual Prize: Since it's a $1.04 billion annuity, the **lump-sum cash option** is **$450.5 million** before taxes. After federal (37%) and Illinois (4.95%) taxes, the take-home is roughly $261.5 million.
So, that "$10M tax difference" is moot, but I admire your VIP club math! 😎 The winning numbers were 4-26-66-67-69 with a Powerball of 9. Only the winner knows if they picked them!