Powerball for Beginners: Saturday, July 11, 2026 Drawing Explained

What Happened on July 11, 2026?

Powerball is a fun game where you pick numbers and hope they match the ones drawn to win money. On Saturday, July 11, 2026, there was a drawing with a huge prize up for grabs!

• The big top prize (called the jackpot) had grown to $457 million for that night’s drawing.
• If a winner had taken all the money at once (called the lump sum cash value), it would have been about $202.8 million before the government takes its taxes.
• The winning numbers drawn were: 8, 10, 14, 45, 59 and the special Powerball number was 5. The Power Play multiplier that night was 2x (more on that later).
• Nobody won the giant jackpot that night.
• Because no one won, the next drawing’s jackpot jumped to $478 million for Monday’s drawing.
• One lucky player in New Jersey matched the first five numbers (but not the Powerball) and won $1 million.

Important Point: The jackpot keeps growing until someone wins! Also, remember that taxes will be taken out of any prize money you receive.

How Does the Jackpot Get So Big?

Think of the jackpot like a snowball rolling down a hill — it starts small and gets bigger as it goes.

• It always starts at $20 million.
• There is no cap (no upper limit), so it can grow as big as it wants.
• Every time a drawing happens and no one wins the big prize, the jackpot grows by tens of millions of dollars.
• This is why it can balloon from $20 million to hundreds of millions in just a few weeks!

When Are Drawings and How Do I Play?

Drawings happen three times every week:

• Monday
• Wednesday
• Saturday

The numbers are shown live at about 10:59 p.m. Eastern time (which is 7:59 p.m. Pacific time). You usually need to buy your ticket about an hour before the drawing, but exact cutoff times vary a little by state.

How to Buy a Ticket (Step-by-Step)

1. Go to a store (or approved seller) that sells Powerball tickets.
2. Pay $2 for one play.
3. Choose five numbers from 1 to 69.
4. Choose one Powerball number from 1 to 26.
   • Don’t feel like picking? You can ask for a Quick Pick and a computer will choose for you.
5. (Optional) Pay an extra $1 for Power Play. This multiplies smaller prizes (not the jackpot) by 2, 3, 4, 5, or 10 times, depending on the multiplier drawn that night.

Powerball is sold in 45 states, plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Important Point: Power Play only makes the smaller prizes bigger — it does not increase the giant jackpot.

The 10 Biggest U.S. Jackpots Ever Won

Here are the largest prizes won in the United States (so far):

1. $2.04 Billion – Powerball – Nov. 7, 2022 – CA
2. $1.817 Billion – Powerball – Dec. 24, 2025 – AR
3. $1.787 Billion – Powerball – Sept. 6, 2025 – MO, TX
4. $1.765 Billion – Powerball – Oct. 11, 2023 – CA
5. $1.602 Billion – Mega Millions – Aug. 8, 2023 – FL
6. $1.586 Billion – Powerball – Jan. 13, 2016 – CA, FL, TN
7. $1.537 Billion – Mega Millions – Oct. 23, 2018 – SC
8. $1.348 Billion – Mega Millions – Jan. 13, 2023 – ME
9. $1.337 Billion – Mega Millions – July 29, 2022 – IL
10. $1.326 Billion – Powerball – April 6, 2024 – OR

Summary

On Saturday, July 11, 2026, the Powerball jackpot was $457 million, but no one won it. The winning numbers were 8-10-14-45-59 with Powerball 5 and a 2x Power Play. A player in New Jersey won $1 million by matching the first five numbers. The next jackpot for Monday is $478 million. Tickets cost $2, drawings are on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday, and you can add Power Play for $1 extra to boost smaller prizes. The jackpot grows without limit until someone finally wins.

FAQ

Q: What were the winning Powerball numbers on July 11, 2026?
A: The numbers were 8, 10, 14, 45, 59, and the Powerball was 5. The Power Play multiplier was 2x.

Q: How much was the jackpot and what is the lump sum?
A: The jackpot was $457 million (paid over time). The cash lump sum was about $202.8 million before taxes are taken out.

Q: Did anyone win the big prize that night?
A: No one won the grand jackpot, but one person in New Jersey won $1 million by matching the first five numbers.

Q: How can I play Powerball?
A: Buy a $2 ticket, pick five numbers from 1-69 and one Powerball from 1-26 (or use Quick Pick). Drawings happen Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.

Q: What is Power Play?
A: It’s an extra $1 option that multiplies non-jackpot prizes by 2, 3, 4, 5, or 10 times, making smaller wins bigger.