Powerball Draws For $1 Billion Tonight!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 12, 2026 PIO@calottery.com @calotterypress

PRESS RELEASE

Powerball Draws For $1 Billion Tonight! Meanwhile, One Powerball Player Has Only Days Left To Claim

SACRAMENTO - With the Powerball prize now at $1 billion for the Wednesday night drawing, the California Lottery is also reminding players in San Diego County to check their Powerball tickets. After nearly 180 days, a $1,532,761 prize from the February 21, 2026, drawing remains unclaimed and is approaching its expiration deadline. The winning ticket will not be valid past next Thursday, August 20, 2026.

The winning ticket in question matched 27, 28, 36, 48, 49 missing only the Powerball number 21, and was sold by Varso Gas, on the corner of Escondido Blvd and Brotherton Rd in Escondido.

To claim a top prize Powerball jackpot, players have up to a year from the date of the draw to claim, however for prizes like this 5-number match, players have 180 days from the date of the draw to claim their Powerball prize. If no one submits a claim by the deadline, the over $1.5 million prize will go to public schools in California, as required by statute. The California Lottery exists solely to generate extra money for public education and has raised more than $1.1 billion just in unclaimed prizes since tickets first went on sale in 1985.

Anyone who purchased a Powerball ticket at Varso Gas for the February 21, 2026 drawing is urged to recheck their ticket carefully. If you believe you have the winning ticket:

• Visit a California Lottery District Office before the deadline • Bring the original ticket and a valid government-issued photo ID • Complete a claim form. They are available online at calottery.com or at any District Office

You Play, Schools Win

As tonight's draw approaches for an estimated $1 billion, California public education has already won. From this jackpot sequence alone, since the Powerball jackpot was last won on May 2, the California Lottery has raised more than $62 million and counting from Powerball sales. Those funds will go to support programs in California public schools at all levels.

Draw games like Powerball, Mega Millions, SuperLotto Plus®, Fantasy 5® and more help support schools in every county throughout California. Proceeds help fund classroom resources, technology upgrades, and career training programs for students from kindergarten through college. There's an interactive map on the California Lottery website at calottery.com/who-benefits which shows how Lottery funds are distributed to school districts across the state. Copies of the latest, audited, quarterly reports are also available on the website as well as videos highlighting how specific schools are using California Lottery funding for their students.

How To Play

Know the draw times. Powerball draws take place on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays at 7:59 p.m. Draw entry closes at 7 p.m. on the day of the draw. If you need more information on how to play, download the official California Lottery App, or visit calottery.com/draw- games/powerball.

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The mission of the California Lottery is to raise additional funding for public education, helping to supplement school budgets for K-12 as well as colleges and universities. The California Lottery has raised more than $48 billion for public schools through the responsible sale of its games since 1985. Lottery funding for schools is largely discretionary, so administrators and educators can use Lottery money for instructional programs and services they may not otherwise afford. The California Lottery features eight draw games and dozens of new instant Scratchers games each year. More than 95% of California Lottery sales revenue goes back to the community in the form of prize payments, retailer commissions and bonuses, and contributions to education. More information about who benefits can be found here. As jackpots rise, the California Lottery would like to remind players that gambling should be fun. Borrowing money to play, spending above a person's budget, or using money intended for other purposes can ultimately lead to significant problems for players and their families. If a player recognizes that they have a gambling problem or if someone knows of someone who may have a problem, the Lottery recommends calling the California Problem Gambling Help Line at 1- 800-GAMBLER.