Why we may never know who won Powerball’s $1.04 billion jackpot

Powerball has a new billionaire. The winner may never be named.

The Illinois player who hit the $1.04 billion jackpot on Wednesday, Aug. 12, can request anonymity under state law, potentially keeping one of the biggest lottery wins in U.S. history a mystery.

Before collecting the grand prize, the winner must make two life-changing decisions: whether to remain anonymous and whether to take the money all at once. Illinois law gives winners of large lottery prizes the option to keep their identities private, while Powerball rules allow them to choose between an estimated $450.5 million cash payout or the full $1.04 billion jackpot spread over decades.

Here’s what to know about winning Powerball and your privacy.

Here’s what the latest winner must do to stay anonymous

You must explicitly request confidentiality by checking the correct box on the Illinois Lottery Winner Claim Form at the exact time you claim your prize.

If you forget to check the box or fail to request it when submitting your claim, lottery officials will publicly release your name, home city and the prize amount.

Does anything remain private?

Even if you don’t opt out, the state will not publish your street address or phone number.

When’s the deadline for the winner to claim the jackpot?

The winner must claim the prize by October 11, which is 60 days from the drawing, if they choose the one-time prize worth an estimated cash value of $450.5 million, according to the Illinois Lottery. But, if the winner choose a 30-year annuity, the deadline is a year from the win, meaning Aug. 12, 2027.

What about privacy in other states?

Out of the 45 states or U.S. territories that participate in Powerball, only 10 states allow you to remain completely anonymous no matter how much money you win, USA TODAY previously reported.

States that allow anonymity after lottery win:

• Arizona: Anonymous unless prize is over $100,000, though the person can request to keep their identity confidential.

• Arkansas: Anonymous unless prize is over $500,000 and a winner is only anonymous for three years. A person can also request to keep their identity confidential. Arkansas has another interesting aspect to their law which was just displayed when the Christmas Eve 2025 Powerball winner was revealed to be the younger brother of North Little Rock, Arkansas, Mayor Terry Hartwick. An elected official and a close relative of one can only remain anonymous for six months.

• Georgia: Anonymous, unless prize is over $250,000.

• Illinois: Anonymous, unless prize is over $250,000.

• Kansas: Can remain fully anonymous.

• Minnesota: Anonymous, unless prize is over $10,000.

• Montana: Can remain fully anonymous.

• Oregon: Can remain fully anonymous.

• Texas: Anonymous, unless prize is over $1 million.

• Virginia: Anonymous unless prize is over $10 million.

• Wyoming: Can remain fully anonymous.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why we may never know who won Powerball’s $1.04 billion jackpot