Powerball® Reaches $1 Billion for Wednesday's Draw, the First Billion-Dollar Powerball Jackpot of 2026

Jackpot.com players across seven states can order tickets from their phones as the game enters its second-longest jackpot run on record

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Jackpot.com, the licensed lottery courier service, is seeing a sharp rise in play activity as the Powerball jackpot reaches an estimated $1 billion for Wednesday night's draw. It is the first Powerball jackpot to reach the billion-dollar mark in 2026, the largest U.S. lottery prize of the year, and the eighth-largest in Powerball history.

The cash option for Wednesday's draw is an estimated $433.1 million.

Wednesday will be the 44th consecutive draw of a run that began after the top prize was last won on May 2, when two tickets in Florida and Texas split $20 million. That makes this the second-longest jackpot run in the game's 34-year history, behind only the run that ended on Christmas Eve 2025, when a single ticket sold in Cabot, Arkansas claimed $1.817 billion, the second-largest U.S. lottery prize ever awarded.

If Wednesday's draw rolls again, the current run ties the all-time record on Monday, August 17, and sets a new one on Wednesday, August 19.

Ordering ahead of the draw

Jackpot.com operates in Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Ohio. Players 18 and older, or 21 and older in Arizona, create an account, pick their own numbers or take a Quick Pick, and Jackpot.com's local operations teams secure official state lottery tickets on their behalf. Every ticket is scanned into the player's account, prizes are checked automatically after each draw, and winnings are credited directly.

Order cut-off times vary by state and land well ahead of the 10:59 p.m. ET draw. Players are encouraged to place orders early on draw day.

"This is the most exciting run of the year," said Dharin Nanavati, Chief Growth Officer at Jackpot.com. "People who play once or twice a year are coming back for this one, and that is exactly the moment we built the experience for. A few taps and your numbers are locked in, your ticket is in your account, and we take care of the rest so you can just enjoy the draw."

Arkansas, one of the seven states Jackpot.com serves, has produced two Powerball jackpot winners in the past eight months: the $1.817 billion Christmas Eve prize and a $250.8 million jackpot won on March 2, 2026.

Powerball game details

Powerball tickets are $2 per play. Draws are held Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million, and the overall odds of winning any prize are 1 in 24.9.

Play responsibly

Jackpot.com is accredited under the National Council on Problem Gambling's Internet Compliance Assessment Program (iCAP) and offers deposit limits, spend limits and self-exclusion tools in the app. Must be 18+, 21+ in AZ.

Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. In New York, if you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the New York State HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPE-NY (1-877-846-7369) or text HOPENY (467369). Standard text rates may apply.

About Jackpot.com

Jackpot.com is a licensed lottery courier service operating in Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Ohio, offering Powerball®, Mega Millions® and state draw games alongside scratch games. Jackpot.com is not affiliated with any state lottery. To learn more, visit www.jackpot.com or download the Jackpot Lottery App for iOS or Android.

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SOURCE Jackpot.com