The Powerball jackpot climbed to $663 million after no ticket matched all six numbers in Wednesday night's drawing. That pushes the game to the second-largest lottery prize of 2026 so far, behind only the current Mega Millions jackpot, which is reported at $800 million.
While the advertised jackpot grabs attention, the amount a winner could actually take home would be lower in most cases. Lottery jackpots are typically promoted as an annuity paid over time, while many winners choose a one-time cash option that comes in at a smaller figure.
The final amount would drop again after taxes, meaning the net payout would be significantly less than the headline $663 million. Exactly how much a winner keeps depends on the payout choice and the tax treatment applied to the prize.
The latest increase highlights how quickly major U.S. lottery jackpots can grow when drawings pass without a top-prize winner. With Powerball now above the $650 million mark, the game joins Mega Millions in giving 2026 another stretch of unusually large lottery prizes.
