Single Illinois ticket wins $1.04 billion Powerball jackpot

A Powerball ticket purchased in Illinois matched the numbers 4, 26, 66, 67, 69 and the red Powerball 9, securing a $1.04 billion jackpot, the eighth-largest ever recorded for the game. The Power Play multiplier for the draw was 2, and final ticket sales pushed the prize to its record level for the year.

Three additional tickets in Arizona, Florida and North Carolina each matched the five white balls and earned the $1 million Match-5 cash prize. A ticket in California also won the same prize, with payouts determined by a pari-mutuel system, while a Massachusetts ticket that included the Power Play option received $2 million.

The winner can choose a lump-sum cash option of $450.5 million or an annuity paid over 29 years. After a 24% federal withholding and additional taxes that bring the total federal rate to 37%, the net amount will vary by state; for example, a New York winner might net around $234 million, whereas a California winner could receive about $284 million.

"It's hard for people who don't have the experience or life perspective to say no," said lottery attorney Kurt Panouses, who advises jackpot winners on privacy and security measures.

State rules on winner anonymity differ. Illinois allows anonymity for prizes of $250,000 or more, while other states either require public disclosure or offer limited privacy protections. The odds of hitting the Powerball jackpot remain 1 in 292.2 million, with overall prize odds of 1 in 24.87.