Could a $2 Powerball ticket really turn someone into a millionaire? Absolutely—it could happen. And Florida lottery players have been having some especially good luck lately.
After an Illinois player won the massive $1.04 billion Powerball jackpot on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, the jackpot reset to $20 million. Since then, four drawings have passed without a jackpot winner, pushing the prize to an estimated $81 million for Monday, August 24. The cash option was approximately $34.8 million.
The Monday drawing was scheduled for 11 p.m. ET. Players were waiting to see whether someone would finally hit the jackpot—or whether the prize would roll over again.
Florida Players Have Been on a Roll
Florida has recently produced several major Powerball winners.
On Monday, August 17, the winning numbers were 8-15-25-49-65, with Powerball 22 and a 4x Power Play. Although nobody won the jackpot, a Florida ticket matched all five white balls for a $1 million prize.
The winning ticket was sold at a Publix store in The Villages, and the Florida Lottery said the winner, who also lives in The Villages, had already claimed the prize.
Florida also had a $1 million winner in the huge August 12 drawing.
- Ticket location: RaceTrac, 2335 Cleveland Ave., Fort Myers
- Prize: $1 million
- Winner: A Cape Coral resident
- Ticket type: Quick Pick
- Prize status: Claimed as a cash payout
More Florida Luck on August 8
Florida had another $1 million Powerball winner in the Saturday, August 8 drawing.
The winning numbers were 5-9-35-54-63, with Powerball 7 and a 3x Power Play. Tickets sold in Florida, Arizona, Michigan and New York matched all five white balls for $1 million prizes. A Texas ticket matched five numbers plus the Power Play to win $2 million.
In Florida, the winning $1 million ticket was sold at a Circle K at 1026 Walt Williams Road in Lakeland. The winner had claimed the prize as a one-time cash payment by August 12.
Who Won the $1.04 Billion Powerball Jackpot?
The historic $1.04 billion Powerball jackpot was won by a ticket sold in Quincy, Illinois, in the August 12 drawing.
The winning numbers were 4-26-66-67-69, with Powerball 9 and a 2x Power Play. The estimated cash option was $450.5 million before taxes.
The winning ticket was sold at a Hy-Vee gas station in Quincy. As of the latest information, the jackpot-winning prize remained unclaimed.
The drawing also produced several other big prizes. Tickets in Florida, Arizona, California and North Carolina matched five white balls for $1 million prizes, while a Massachusetts ticket matched five numbers plus the Power Play for $2 million.
Powerball Jackpot Growth
Here’s how the jackpot increased after the Illinois jackpot win:
- Saturday, August 15: $20 million
- Monday, August 17: $35 million
- Wednesday, August 19: $48 million
- Saturday, August 22: $68 million
- Monday, August 24: $81 million
When Is the Next Powerball Drawing?
Powerball drawings take place every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 11 p.m. ET, including holidays.
The next drawing is scheduled for Wednesday, August 26.
According to Powerball, the odds of matching all six numbers and winning the jackpot are about 1 in 292.2 million. Prizes start at $2, while the jackpot amount can climb dramatically when players go several drawings without a winner.
So, could that next $2 ticket be the big one? Someone has to win eventually.
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