September 28, 2026
An online player in Illinois turned a $30 FastPlay Cash Castle ticket into $913,372 on 24 September — the latest in a string of big wins across the state, capped by the long-awaited claim of a $1.04 billion Powerball jackpot.
One click, one $30 ticket, and a life-changing result. On Thursday, 24 September, an Illinois Lottery player buying online through the iLottery platform landed a $913,372 prize on the FastPlay Cash Castle game. The lottery has confirmed the win, but the lucky player has not yet come forward — and may not even know yet how much is waiting for them.
Game: FastPlay Cash Castle
Ticket price: $30
Prize: $913,372
Date: Thursday, 24 September 2026
Channel: Illinois iLottery (online)
How FastPlay works
FastPlay games are instant-result titles with a progressive element: part of every ticket sold feeds a growing jackpot, and players find out straight away whether they have won. That is exactly what happened here — the result appeared moments after the $30 ticket was bought.
Cash Castle is just one entry in a large catalogue. The Illinois Lottery currently runs 39 FastPlay games, all available on its website and through the official lottery app.
Across all FastPlay titles, Illinois players have bought more than 14.5 million winning tickets this year, collecting over $330 million in prizes between them.
A winning streak across the state
The Cash Castle hit is the latest in a busy few weeks for Illinois lottery winners:
| When | Game / channel | Where | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labor Day weekend | Retail ticket | Saint Charles | $550,000 |
| Labor Day weekend | Online win | iLottery | $100,000 |
| Labor Day weekend | Retail ticket | Chicago | $200,000 |
| 12 September | Lucky Day Lotto (midday) | Crete | $200,000 |
| 12 September | Lucky Day Lotto (midday) | Rochelle | $200,000 |
| 24 September | FastPlay Cash Castle | iLottery | $913,372 |
The 12 September Lucky Day Lotto midday draw produced two jackpot-winning tickets at once, so the top prize was split, with each ticket holder taking home $200,000.
The $1.04 billion Powerball winner finally shows up
The biggest story, though, is a claim rather than a draw. The holder of the $1.04 billion Powerball jackpot won in Illinois has finally come forward to collect. Whoever is behind the ticket — one person or a group — chose to stay anonymous, so instead of the usual oversized-cheque photo with the winner, Illinois Lottery officials posed for the cameras themselves.
A $30 online ticket turning into nearly a million dollars shows why instant-result games like FastPlay keep growing in Illinois. Add a run of six-figure retail and Lucky Day Lotto wins plus a billion-dollar Powerball claim, and it has been a remarkable month for the state's lottery players. The Cash Castle winner just needs to step forward.
Lottery games are a form of gambling. Play responsibly and only with money you can afford to lose. 18+ / 21+ depending on jurisdiction.
