Yet another player in California has won a life-changing Match 5 prize from the beloved Powerball game. The lucky ticket-holder missed the jackpot by a single number but will still be rewarded for their effort.
Powerball Jackpot Remains Unclaimed Yet Again
The Wednesday Powerball drawing saw the jackpot elude players yet again. Participants were playing for a top prize of $375 million with a cash value of $170.8 million. Since no one succeeded in matching all six winning numbers, however, the jackpot remained a faraway dream.
Speaking of winning numbers, the numbers drawn on July 1 were 2, 6, 26, 39, and 68, plus the Powerball 6. The Power Play multiplier, on the other hand, was 2x.
The first Powerball drawing for the month of July may not have awarded a jackpot, but it did award a single Match 5 prize. This was secured by a ticket-holder in California who successfully matched all five white numbers.
While Match 5 prizes are usually $1 or $2 million, depending on whether the Power Play feature is in play, the Californian’s actual winnings might differ due to the state’s unique approach to calculating lottery prizes.
In the meantime, nine people matched four white numbers plus the Powerball to win third-tier prizes. Six of these players secured payouts of $50,000 each, while the remaining three will take home $100,000 each due to Power Play.
In the meantime, the Powerball jackpot has reached $396 million with a cash value of $180.2 million.
Californians Have Been Winning Big
Players in California have been winning big from Powerball this summer. At the beginning of June, a separate player in the same state secured a similar prize to the recent winner. Several days later, a second player in The Golden State won another Match 5 prize.
Powerball has awarded five jackpots in 2026, and players are now eagerly anticipating the sixth. The most recent wins came at the end of April and the beginning of May, when two back-to-back jackpot wins happened. This was notably the first time in several years that two consecutive drawings have awarded jackpot prizes.
In the meantime, the Powerball jackpot seems to be catching up to the Mega Millions one. It has yet to be seen whether the former prize will overtake the latter before either is won.