A single Powerball ticket sold in New Jersey has won the Powerball 835 million jackpot from the Wednesday, November 4, 2026 drawing. CNN reported the win after the drawing, confirming that one ticket matched all six numbers. The winning numbers were 15, 34, 41, 53, and 56, with the red Powerball number 21, and the Power Play multiplier was 2x. The winner can choose a one time cash payment of 357.9 million dollars or an annuity paid out over 29 years.
The win ends a long jackpot run and resets the game for Saturday. The jackpot had climbed through 35 consecutive drawings without a winner since August 12, 2026, when a player in Illinois claimed a 1.04 billion dollar prize. Wednesday prize was the tenth largest in Powerball history and the second largest prize so far this year, according to game officials. The jackpot will reset to 20 million dollars for the next drawing on Saturday, November 7, 2026, at 10:59 p.m. ET.
Quick Facts
| Detail | What is known |
|---|---|
| Winning ticket location | New Jersey, single ticket matched all six numbers |
| Drawing date | Wednesday, November 4, 2026 |
| Winning numbers | 15, 34, 41, 53, 56, Powerball 21 |
| Power Play multiplier | 2x |
| Jackpot amount | Estimated 835 million dollars, annuity value |
| Cash option | 357.9 million dollars, one time payment before taxes |
| Annuity option | Paid out over 29 years |
| Jackpot rank | Tenth largest in Powerball history, second largest so far this year |
| Previous jackpot win | August 12, 2026, 1.04 billion dollars, ticket sold in Illinois |
| Drawings without a winner | 35 consecutive drawings in this jackpot run |
| Odds of winning jackpot | About 1 in 292.2 million, per the lottery |
| Next drawing | Saturday, November 7, 2026, 10:59 p.m. ET, jackpot reset to 20 million dollars |
| Drawing schedule | Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET |
What the Powerball 835 Million Jackpot Winner Can Choose
Powerball winners always face the same two choices, and the numbers here are huge either way. The annuity option pays the full estimated 835 million dollars over 29 years, in annual payments that typically grow over time. The cash option pays 357.9 million dollars at once, before taxes. Most large jackpot winners take the cash option, but the annuity can be better for people who want a steady income and protection from spending too fast. Taxes will reduce both amounts, and the exact tax bill depends on where the winner lives and how they claim.
New Jersey has its own claim rules, and the winner identity has not yet been publicly announced in the reports available at the time of writing. That is normal. Winners often take days or weeks to claim, while they hire lawyers and financial advisers and decide whether to claim as an individual or through a trust, where state rules allow it. Until a claim is filed, the ticket location is known, New Jersey, but the person behind it is not. Readers should treat any social media claim about the winner identity as unconfirmed unless a state lottery office confirms it.
How the Jackpot Grew So Large
The jackpot grew because nobody won for more than three months. The run started after the August 12, 2026 Illinois win of 1.04 billion dollars, and it rolled through 35 drawings, including the Monday, November 2 drawing, when the jackpot stood at 793 million dollars with a cash option of 339.9 million dollars. By Wednesday, November 4, it had climbed to 835 million dollars, with a cash option of 357.9 million dollars. Each rollover added ticket sales to the pot, which is why the prize grew faster near the end of the run.
Wednesday jackpot also made history in a quieter way. CNN reported that this jackpot cycle was the first in which players in the United Kingdom participated from the beginning of a multi drawing stretch, after ticket sales expanded to the country in July 2026. It also marked the first time a lottery outside the United States contributed to the Powerball jackpot, according to the lottery. That expansion helped ticket sales, and it means future jackpot runs could grow even faster as more players join.
The Odds, Explained Simply
The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are about 1 in 292.2 million, according to the lottery. That number is hard to picture, so here is a simpler way to think about it. Players pick five white ball numbers from 1 to 69, plus one red Powerball number from 1 to 26. Matching all six is what wins the jackpot. Smaller prizes exist for matching fewer numbers, and the Power Play multiplier, which was 2x on Wednesday, can multiply non jackpot prizes, but it does not change the jackpot itself.
It is also worth noting what CNN reported about smaller prizes on Wednesday: there were no winners for the 2 million dollar and 1 million dollar Match 5 prizes in that drawing. That is unusual for a drawing with so many tickets sold, and it underlines how random the game is. Millions of tickets can be sold, and still only one ticket, the New Jersey ticket, can match all six numbers. The next jackpot starts small again at 20 million dollars, and the whole cycle begins over.
What Happens Next
The next Powerball drawing takes place on Saturday, November 7, 2026, at 10:59 p.m. ET, with a reset jackpot of 20 million dollars. Drawings are held three times a week, on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday, and they are broadcast live on the lottery website. Players who bought tickets for Wednesday should check their numbers against 15, 34, 41, 53, and 56, plus Powerball 21, because smaller prizes may still be waiting even for tickets that did not win the jackpot.
For the New Jersey winner, the next steps are private but important: sign the ticket, keep it safe, get legal and financial advice before claiming, and check the state claim deadline. Lottery officials advise winners not to rush, and not to announce a win publicly before they are ready. The money will still be there after a careful claim. The headlines will fade faster than the payments, whether the winner chooses cash or annuity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What were the winning Powerball numbers for November 4, 2026?
The winning numbers were 15, 34, 41, 53, and 56, with the red Powerball number 21. The Power Play multiplier was 2x.
Where was the winning ticket sold?
The jackpot winning ticket was sold in New Jersey. The winner identity has not yet been publicly announced.
How much is the cash option?
The cash option is 357.9 million dollars, paid at once before taxes. The annuity option pays the full estimated 835 million dollars over 29 years.
When is the next Powerball drawing?
The next drawing is Saturday, November 7, 2026, at 10:59 p.m. ET, with the jackpot reset to 20 million dollars.
Sources
CNN reported the New Jersey win, the winning numbers, the Power Play, the cash and annuity options, the tenth largest ranking, the August 12 Illinois win, the 1 in 292.2 million odds, the United Kingdom participation note, and the 20 million dollar reset. USA Today reported the pre-draw jackpot figure, the cash option, and the winning numbers. Detroit Free Press confirmed the numbers, the cash value, and the November 7 next drawing.
Final Thoughts
Somewhere in New Jersey, a person is holding a ticket worth 835 million dollars, and probably still processing it. That is the human side of a story that is usually told in numbers. The jackpot run lasted 35 drawings, the odds were 1 in 292.2 million, and the prize reset to 20 million dollars for Saturday. But for one ticket holder, the math is now personal: cash or annuity, privacy or publicity, and a life changed overnight. The rest of us get a reset jackpot and a reminder that the next drawing is always only a few days away.
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