CHICAGO, September 15, 2026 — The mystery surrounding the $1.04 billion Powerball® jackpot has officially been solved.
Nearly one month after the historic drawing, the Illinois Lottery today confirmed that the sole winner of the $1.04 billion jackpot has come forward to claim the prize — the second-largest lottery prize ever won in Illinois.
The winner has elected to remain anonymous but shared with Illinois Lottery officials the disbelief that came with discovering they had won.
“I initially didn’t believe I had won, so I called a family member to confirm it,” the winner said. “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.”
“I chose a Quick Pick and spent just $2 on a single line of Powerball numbers,” the winner added. “I never could have imagined that a $2 purchase would lead to a $1.04 billion jackpot. This is truly a blessing, and I’m incredibly grateful for this unexpected and extraordinary opportunity.”
As the winner prepared to claim the life-changing prize, Illinois Lottery Chicago Prize Center Manager Amanda Crosas assisted the winner’s legal representatives with the prize claim.
“After eight years of processing lottery claims, I’ve had the chance to meet many winners, but a $1 billion jackpot is truly extraordinary,” said Crosas. “It was exciting to finally see this historic prize claimed after nearly a month of anticipation. We’re pleased to have been part of the process and to have helped make this moment a reality.”
“You could feel the excitement in the room — we all had a little extra bounce in our steps that day,” Crosas added. “I can only imagine what this moment must feel like for the winner and the people closest to them. Congratulations to the winner on this life-changing prize and the opportunities that lie ahead.”
The winner spent the past several weeks working with professional legal and financial advisors to prepare for the claim and elected to receive the prize as a lump-sum payment rather than the annuity option.
The winning ticket was purchased at Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh, 310 N. 36th St. in Quincy, for the August 12 Powerball drawing.
“The Illinois Lottery is thrilled to officially welcome this historic winner,” said Harold Mays, Director of the Illinois Lottery. “A jackpot of this magnitude is an extraordinary event, and we’re excited to see the second-largest lottery prize ever won in Illinois officially claimed. It’s exciting to see such a significant Powerball win come to an Illinois player, and we’re pleased to celebrate this milestone with them.”
The Powerball jackpot run began May 4 and continued through the August 12 drawing. During the jackpot run, Illinois Lottery players purchased more than $53.8 million in Powerball tickets, generating $26 million for the Common School Fund, which supports K–12 public education throughout Illinois.
Illinois Lottery retailers also benefited from the jackpot run, earning $2.5 million in commissions and bonuses for selling winning tickets.
In total, Illinois Lottery players purchased more than 965,000 winning Powerball tickets and collected nearly $8 million in prizes, excluding the jackpot.
Background information
- The August 12 Powerball drawing for the $1.04 billion prize ranked as the eighth-largest jackpot in Powerball history.
- For selling the jackpot-winning ticket, Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh received a $500,000 retailer bonus
- The winner had 12 months from the date of the drawing to claim the prize, and 60 days from the date of the drawing to elect the lump-sum payment option.
- Under Illinois law, lottery winners of prizes of $250,000 or more may request to remain anonymous.