Don’t Forget Your Ticket: Powerball Hits $1 Billion, Drawing Tonight

Lottery fever is sweeping the nation as the Powerball jackpot officially crossed the staggering $1 billion mark for tonight’s drawing. Ticket sales are surging across 45 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands ahead of the highly anticipated drawing tonight.

Tonight’s historic prize ranks as the eighth-largest jackpot in Powerball history. It is also the single largest lottery prize offered so far in 2026.

A single lucky ticket matching all six numbers tonight will have two choices:

An annuitized prize worth an estimated $1 billion paid out over 30 years; or a one-time cash option valued at a massive $433.1 million.

Both payout options are subject to federal taxes, and most states will levy additional state lottery taxes.

Rush at the Registers

Lottery retailers are reporting a massive influx of customers buying last-minute tickets. “We’ve had a steady line since we opened this morning,” said one local convenience store clerk. “Everyone wants a piece of the billion.”

The odds of winning the grand prize stand at a steep 1 in 292.2 million. However, lottery officials remind players that there are nine ways to win cash prizes ranging from $4 up to $2 million.

Deadlines and Availability

Standard tickets cost $2 per play. Players select five white ball numbers from 1 to 69 and one red Powerball number from 1 to 26.

Lottery officials urge players not to wait until the final minutes to purchase tickets. Most jurisdictions enforce a strict sales cutoff at 10:00 PM ET, exactly 59 minutes before the balls drop.

Monday’s numbers were: 6, 37, 54, 55, 64 with a red Powerball of 10.