The anticipation was palpable on Monday night, April 20, 2026, as Powerball players across the country checked their tickets, hoping for a life-changing windfall. The jackpot for the evening’s drawing had climbed to a substantial $87 million, offering a cash option of $39.7 million. Yet, as the numbers were revealed—9, 17, 36, 47, 64, with a Powerball of 26 and a Power Play multiplier of 3x—no one managed to match all six numbers and claim the grand prize, according to coverage from USA TODAY and powerball.com.
While the elusive jackpot remained unclaimed, there was still cause for celebration in Missouri. A single ticket sold in the state matched all five white balls, earning its owner a cool $1 million. As reported by Gannett, this was the largest win of the night, and it’s sure to bring a hefty dose of excitement to the Show-Me State. But for the millions of other hopefuls, the dream lives on: the next Powerball drawing is set for Wednesday, April 22, 2026, with the jackpot swelling to an estimated $100 million and a cash option of $45.6 million.
Powerball’s enduring appeal lies in its simplicity and the tantalizing promise of overnight wealth. Tickets cost $2 apiece, and for an extra $1, players can opt into the Power Play feature, which multiplies non-jackpot prizes by two, three, four, five, or even ten times—though the coveted 10x multiplier only comes into play when the advertised jackpot is $150 million or less. For this drawing, the Power Play landed at 3x, boosting the value of secondary prizes for those who added the feature to their tickets.
For those unfamiliar with the prize structure, the breakdown is straightforward but offers plenty of ways to win. Matching all five white balls plus the Powerball secures the jackpot. Five white balls alone net $1 million, and with Power Play, that doubles to $2 million. Four white balls plus the Powerball win $50,000, or $200,000 with Power Play. Even matching just the Powerball is worth $4, and with Power Play, that prize jumps to $16. According to Powerball.com, the odds of hitting the jackpot are a staggering 1 in 292.2 million—a reminder of just how rare those life-altering wins are.
The April 20 drawing also featured the Double Play option, available to in-store players for an additional $1 per play. Double Play offers a second chance to win up to $10 million immediately after the main drawing. For this round, the Double Play numbers were 4, 29, 35, 40, 43, and the Powerball was 21. No ticket matched all six numbers, and there were no $500,000 winners for matching five white balls plus the Powerball in Double Play, as reported by Midwest Connect Gannett.
Powerball drawings take place three times a week—Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday—at 10:59 p.m. ET, broadcast live from the Florida Lottery draw studio in Tallahassee and streamed on Powerball’s official website. Ticket purchase deadlines vary by state, so players are advised not to wait until the last minute. For instance, in Michigan, sales close at 9:45 p.m. on draw nights, while in New York and Connecticut, the cut-off is 10 p.m. In New Jersey, it’s 9:59 p.m. The game is available in 45 states, plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, making it one of the most widely played lotteries in the nation.
The last Powerball jackpot was claimed on April 6, 2026, by a single winner in Delaware, who took home an impressive $230.8 million. That win joined the ranks of some of the largest jackpots in Powerball history. According to powerball.com, the top 10 Powerball jackpots include the record $2.04 billion prize won in California on November 7, 2022, and other massive wins such as $1.817 billion in Arkansas (December 24, 2025), $1.787 billion split between Missouri and Texas (September 6, 2025), and $842.4 million in Michigan on January 1, 2024. These eye-popping figures fuel the dreams of millions, even as the odds remain dauntingly long.
But Powerball isn’t the only game in town. The Mega Millions jackpot is also making headlines, standing at $140 million with a cash option of $62.8 million as of April 20, 2026. Lottery fever, it seems, is alive and well across America, with hopefuls lining up at gas stations, grocery stores, and even airport terminals to snag their tickets. For those who prefer the digital route, services like Jackpocket—now the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network—allow players in select states to order tickets online, see their numbers, and collect winnings from the comfort of home.
For those lucky enough to win big, the question of anonymity often arises. In some states, like New Jersey, winners can now remain anonymous, thanks to recent legal changes. In others, a winner’s name and hometown become a matter of public record—a fact that can be both exciting and daunting. And when it comes to collecting the jackpot, winners face a choice: take the annuity, paid out over 30 years with annual increases, or opt for the lump-sum cash payment, which is significantly less than the advertised jackpot but delivered all at once.
Of course, the thrill of playing Powerball is tempered by the reality of the odds. As USA TODAY notes, the chance of matching all six numbers is 1 in 292,201,338, while the odds of matching all five white balls are 1 in 11,688,053. Still, the possibility—however remote—keeps millions coming back for more. And for those who find themselves playing a little too often, resources like 1-800-GAMBLER and other helplines are available to offer support.
As the next drawing approaches, the excitement will only build. Will someone finally hit the $100 million jackpot on April 22? Or will the prize continue to climb, inching ever closer to those record-breaking sums that make headlines and change lives overnight? For now, the only certainty is that the Powerball dream remains alive—and for one lucky Missouri player, a million-dollar windfall is already a reality.
Lottery fever, it seems, never really cools off. As players prepare their tickets for the next drawing, the country waits to see if the next Powerball millionaire—or billionaire—will emerge from the crowd.