Powerball back to $20M tonight after $1B winner
Dreaming of what you would do with a $1 billion lottery jackpot?
Here are some epic ideas.
The search for Powerball's newest billionaire is underway after a single ticket sold in Illinois won $1 billion jackpot on Wednesday, Aug. 12. The actual Powerball payout will fall far short of 10 figures after taxes, especially if the ticketholder chooses to take the winnings in a lump sum.
After a single ticket matched all six numbers to win Wednesday’s $1.04 billion Powerball jackpot, the game’s top prize has reset to $20 million for tonight.
The winning ticket was sold at a Hy-Vee gas station in Quincy, Illinois, ending months of rollovers and one of the biggest jackpot runs in Powerball history. The winner can choose between an estimated $1.04 billion annuity or a $450.5 million lump-sum cash payment before taxes.
Even with the jackpot starting over, Powerball remains in the spotlight as the lottery undergoes its biggest expansion in years. For the first time, players in the United Kingdom can buy tickets and compete for the same jackpot as players in the United States.
Here’s what to know before Saturday night’s drawing.
More: Which Powerball numbers should you pick?
Powerball winning numbers for Saturday, Aug. 15
USA TODAY will post the winning numbers shortly after the drawing, which is scheduled for 10:59 p.m. ET Saturday.
When is the next Powerball drawing?
The next Powerball drawing is Monday, Aug. 17, at approximately 10:59 p.m. ET.
Drawings are held every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Players can watch the drawing live on Powerball’s website and catch replay clips on the game’s YouTube channel.
In this photo illustration, a clerk displays Powerball lottery tickets at a convenience store on December 19, 2025 in Austin, Texas.
More: Powerball jackpots are expected to grow faster. Here’s why
Where does the Illinois jackpot rank?
The $1.04 billion prize won in Illinois ranks among the largest jackpots Powerball has ever awarded. It joins a growing list of billion-dollar payouts that have transformed ordinary ticket holders into overnight millionaires and billionaires.
Largest Powerball jackpots ever won
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$2.040 billion on Nov. 7, 2022 in California
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$1.817 billion on Dec. 24, 2025 in Arkansas
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$1.787 billion on Sept. 6, 2025 in Missouri and Texas
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$1.765 billion on Oct. 11, 2023 in California
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$1.586 billion on Jan. 13, 2016 in California, Florida and Tennessee
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$1.326 billion on April 6, 2024 in Oregon
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$1.080 billion on July 19, 2023 in California
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$1.04 billion on Aug. 12, 2026 in Illinois
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$842.4 million on Jan. 1, 2024 in Michigan
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$768.4 million on Mar. 27, 2019 in Wisconsin
Powerball’s biggest expansion in years
Powerball is now available to players in the United Kingdom, marking the game’s biggest expansion in years and potentially adding millions of participants when jackpots begin climbing.
There are some key differences. Tickets cost £4 in the U.K., compared with $2 in the U.S., and non-jackpot prizes are paid through a separate prize structure. U.S. winners can choose between a lump-sum cash payout or annual payments over 30 years, while U.K. jackpot winners receive annual payments through the U.K. National Lottery.
Contributor: USA TODAY’s Anthony Thompson
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Powerball back to $20M tonight after $1B winner
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