Illinois Powerball jackpot-winning ticket worth $1.04 billion sold at Quincy Hy-Vee gas station
The single Powerball jackpot-winning ticket worth $1.04 billion was sold at a gas station in Quincy, Illinois.
The Illinois Lottery said Wednesday night's winning ticket was bought at the Hy-Vee Gas at 310 N. 36th Street in Quincy, which is about 311 miles southwest of Chicago near the state border with Iowa.
The winner matched all six numbers — 4, 26, 66, 67 and 69 — and the Powerball of 9 to secure the jackpot.
The Hy-Vee receives a $500,000 cash bonus for selling the jackpot ticket.
"We're thrilled for the winner and the retailer that sold the winning ticket. Beyond celebrating this incredible win, every Powerball ticket purchased during this jackpot run also helped generate funding for Illinois public schools, demonstrating how the Lottery continues to benefit communities across the state," said Illinois Lottery president Harold Mays in a statement.
This was the largest Powerball jackpot won so far in 2026, Illinois Lottery said, and the eighth-largest in the game's history.
But will we ever know who the winner is? Illinois does not require players who win prizes of $250,000 or more to come forward publicly, so the newly minted billionaire can and may choose to remain anonymous. They have one year from the date of the drawing to claim their prize.
If the winner chooses a lump-sum payment, the cash value is $450.5 million. They can also choose to receive 30 payments over 29 years which increases by 5% each year. Both lump-sum and annuity payouts are before taxes.
Powerball drawings are held every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday night. The $1.04 billion jackpot was the result of a jackpot run that began in early May. The jackpot will now reset for Saturday night's drawing.
