The biggest Powerball jackpot of 2026 has surged to an estimated $905 million, setting the stage for a high-stakes drawing Monday night.
After months without a jackpot winner, the top prize has grown into the eighth largest in Powerball history. If the eventual winner opts for the one-time cash payout instead of the annuity, the prize is valued at an estimated $391.9 million, according to the Multi-State Lottery Association.
Factoring in Mega Millions prizes as well, Monday’s Powerball drawing ranks as the 16th largest lottery jackpot ever offered in the United States.
“Entering the top 10 largest Powerball jackpots is when we historically see a lot of players join in the game,” Stephen Durrell, Powerball Product Group chair and Kansas Lottery executive director, said in a statement.
The jackpot has gone unclaimed since May 2, when two winning tickets sold in Florida and Texas split a $20 million prize. Although no one hit the grand prize Saturday, four tickets matched all five white balls, each winning $1 million, Powerball said.
Powerball tickets cost $2 and have long been available in 45 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Last month, sales expanded to the U.K., though tickets bought there apply only to the Powerball jackpot, with smaller prize tiers structured differently.
For a single play, the odds of winning the Powerball grand prize are 1 in 292,201,338.
If no ticket claims the jackpot Monday, the next drawings are scheduled for Wednesday and Saturday, with the prize expected to climb even higher.
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The largest Powerball jackpot — and largest lottery jackpot period — ever won was a single $2.04 billion ticket sold in California in November 2022.
contributed to this report.
