Illinois' $1.04 billion Powerball winner still hasn’t been announced, and the cash option deadline is approaching

A month after a single ticket sold in Quincy, Illinois, won the $1.04 billion Powerball jackpot, the Illinois Lottery has not announced that anyone has claimed it.

The winner is not out of time. But one of the two deadlines attached to the prize is closing in, and missing it would change how the money gets paid.

The ticket matched all six numbers in the August 12 drawing and was bought at the Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh at 310 N. 36th St. in Quincy. We covered the win itself and the store that sold it last month.

Two different deadlines

The Illinois Lottery's rules set both out plainly. "In order to opt for the lump sum payment, the prize must be claimed within 60 days of the drawing date. Winners who claim after that time can only receive the annuity payment," the lottery says. Powerball prizes "must be claimed within one year from the drawing date."

As of September 14, 33 days have passed and 27 remain in the cash option window. October 11 falls on a Sunday, so a winner counting on that last day would want to confirm how the lottery handles it well before the weekend since lottery offices are usually closed on weekends.

What the choice is worth

The lump sum on this jackpot is estimated at $450.5 million before taxes, about 43% of the advertised figure. The $1.04 billion headline is the annuity, paid in 30 installments over 29 years, and each annual payment is 5% larger than the one before it.

Most jackpot winners take the cash option. What either option leaves after federal tax and Illinois's 4.95% is worked through in our $1 billion take-home breakdown, and how long payment takes once a claim is filed is covered separately.

Silence does not mean nobody knows

A month without an announcement is not proof the ticket is lost. Illinois lets winners of $250,000 or more ask to keep their name and hometown private, and that request is made at the time of the claim. A winner could come forward and never be named.

Large winners also tend to line up lawyers and financial advisers before they walk in, and lotteries run their own checks before saying anything. When Oregon's $1.326 billion jackpot was claimed in 2024, the lottery said it vetted the claim before announcing the winner 23 days after the drawing. In 2025, the Missouri Lottery announced that the Missouri holder of half of the $1.787 billion jackpot had claimed 16 days after that drawing. Illinois is past both marks now. Which states allow anonymous claims varies widely.

If the full year runs out, the prize is forfeited. Where unclaimed prize money ends up depends on the game and the state.

The eighth Powerball jackpot over $1 billion

Quincy's ticket ended a 44-drawing run that began at $20 million after the May 2 jackpot. It is the eighth Powerball jackpot of $1 billion or more ever won.

The Powerball jackpot has grown rapidly. The jackpot reset to $20 million for the August 15 drawing and had climbed back to $232 million by September 12, 13 drawings later.

Sources

Illinois Lottery: Claiming game prizes FAQ

Illinois Lottery: Illinois Lottery player wins $1.04 billion Powerball jackpot

Central Illinois Proud: Will we ever know who won the $1.04 billion Powerball jackpot?

CBS News: $1.3 billion Powerball jackpot winner in Oregon revealed

First Alert 4: Missouri's record Powerball jackpot winner claims prize