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A single ticket sold in New Jersey has won an estimated $847 million Powerball jackpot, lottery officials announced on Thursday, November 5. The ticket matched all six numbers drawn on Wednesday night — 15, 34, 41, 53 and 56, with a Powerball of 21 — ending a two-month run without a jackpot winner.
The prize is the ninth-largest Powerball jackpot ever won, according to Powerball, and the 17th-largest lottery jackpot in American history, according to the Multi-State Lottery Association, which runs the game. It is also the second jackpot of more than $800 million to be won in less than three months.
The winning numbers
The winning numbers from Wednesday night’s drawing were the white balls 15, 34, 41, 53 and 56, and the red Powerball 21. The Power Play multiplier was 2X, Powerball said.
Only one ticket matched all six numbers, and no ticket won the $2 million or $1 million Match 5 prizes, according to lottery officials. But the drawing still produced more than a million winners: lotteries said more than 1 million tickets won cash prizes by matching one or more of the winning numbers.
Among them, 25 tickets matched four white balls plus the Powerball to win $50,000 each, and four tickets that matched the same numbers and included the Power Play option won $100,000 each, Powerball said. Lotteries urged players to check their tickets carefully, as many smaller prizes may still be unclaimed.
What the winner can claim
The holder of the winning ticket can choose between the full $847 million paid out as an annuity or a one-time cash payment of $363.1 million. Both figures are before taxes. If the winner chooses the annuity, the prize will be paid in 30 increasing payments over 29 years, according to Powerball.
“Back-to-back jackpot runs resulting in prizes of this magnitude are a testament to the excitement Powerball generates,” said Stephen Durrell, chair of the Powerball Product Group and executive director of the Kansas Lottery. “We’re thrilled to celebrate another life-changing win and congratulate the lucky ticket holder.”
The winner has not been publicly identified. Lottery officials were expected to say on Thursday morning where the winning ticket was bought.
How the Powerball jackpot grew
The jackpot had been advertised at $835 million going into Wednesday’s drawing, but it grew to $847 million by draw time as ticket sales surged, according to lottery officials. The jackpot rises with every drawing that produces no winner, and sales typically climb sharply as the prize grows.
Wednesday’s drawing was the 35th since the last jackpot win, on August 12, when a ticket sold in Illinois claimed a $1.04 billion prize. The two wins, less than three months apart, now rank as the eighth- and ninth-largest prizes in Powerball history, according to Powerball.
The odds of matching all six numbers to win the Powerball jackpot are about 1 in 292.2 million, according to the lottery.
Where the ticket was sold
The winning ticket was sold in Bergen County, New Jersey, NJ.com reported. State lottery officials were expected to confirm the retailer where the ticket was purchased on Thursday morning.
A big year for Powerball
Wednesday’s win continues a busy year for the game. Powerball lists seven jackpot wins in 2026 so far: $209.3 million in North Carolina in January, $250.8 million in Arkansas in March, $230.8 million in Delaware in April, $143 million shared by tickets in Indiana and Kansas later that month, a $20 million prize shared by tickets in Florida and Texas in May, the $1.04 billion Illinois win in August, and now the $847 million New Jersey win.
The two biggest prizes of the year — Illinois in August and New Jersey in November — were won within three months of each other, a rare run of back-to-back jackpots of more than $800 million.
The biggest Powerball jackpots
The $847 million prize is the ninth-largest in the game’s history. The largest remains the $2.04 billion jackpot won in California in November 2022. It is followed by a $1.817 billion prize won in Arkansas in December 2025, a $1.787 billion prize shared by tickets in Missouri and Texas in September 2025, and a $1.765 billion prize won in California in October 2023, according to Powerball’s official list of the top 10 jackpots.
The August Illinois win of $1.04 billion ranks eighth on that list. The $847 million New Jersey prize sits ninth, just ahead of an $842.4 million jackpot won in Michigan on January 1, 2024.
How Powerball works
To win the jackpot, a ticket must match all five white balls and the red Powerball. Players can add the Power Play option, which multiplies non-jackpot prizes. In Wednesday’s drawing the Power Play multiplier was 2X, doubling the smaller prizes for players who had added the option.
Drawings are held three times a week — on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday — at 10:59 p.m. Eastern time. The jackpot starts at $20 million and grows with every drawing that produces no jackpot winner.
What happens next
With the jackpot claimed, the prize resets to $20 million for the next drawing on Saturday, November 7, Powerball said. The Power Play 10X multiplier will be available for that drawing because the advertised jackpot is below $150 million.
Until the winner comes forward, the ticket itself is the only proof of the win. Lottery officials urged anyone who bought a ticket in New Jersey for Wednesday’s drawing to check their numbers carefully.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What were the winning Powerball numbers for November 4, 2026?
The winning numbers were 15, 34, 41, 53 and 56, with a Powerball of 21. The Power Play multiplier was 2X.
How much is the $847 million Powerball jackpot worth in cash?
The cash option is $363.1 million before taxes. The winner can also choose the full $847 million paid out as an annuity in 30 increasing payments over 29 years.
Where was the winning Powerball ticket sold?
The ticket was sold in Bergen County, New Jersey, according to NJ.com. The winner has not been publicly identified.
When is the next Powerball drawing?
The next drawing is on Saturday, November 7, 2026, at 10:59 p.m. Eastern time. The jackpot resets to $20 million.
