Ithuba National Lottery

JOHANNESBURG –

PowerBall and PowerBall Plus on Friday 13 March 2026 will open with combined jackpots of R135 million after a thirteenth consecutive rollover, a development that concentrates short‑term retail receipts, prize liabilities and regulatory attention into a single, high‑value draw. The most recent draw on 10 March 2026 produced no top‑tier winners and left a combined prize pool split into R93 million for PowerBall and R42 million for PowerBall Plus. Ticket pricing remains R5 per board for PowerBall and R2.50 for PowerBall Plus; the official sales window closes at 20:30 for the 21:00 draw.

The elevated jackpot and sustained rollovers are material to the business of South Africa’s lottery ecosystem because large jackpots compress retail liquidity timing, boost immediate sales volumes and increase near‑term reserves that flow through the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF). Retail commissions, operator short‑term cashflows and the regulator’s distribution schedule can all move markedly during prolonged rollovers, altering both weekly revenue patterns for retailers and monthly funding available for grant disbursements. For public‑interest stakeholders, the current jackpot cycle is therefore not only a consumer moment, but also a meaningful fiscal event for the state‑mandated grant‑making system that sits behind the National Lottery.

Operators, contract change and regulatory framework

GlobalHeadlinez reporting confirms the incumbent operator remains ITHUBA Holdings for the current draw cycle, and that the national concession is scheduled to transfer to a new operator in June 2026. The transfer of operational responsibility to Sizekhaya Holdings has been announced as the fourth National Lottery and Sports Pools licence award, with a licence commencement expectation on or before 1 June 2026. The licence itself is issued under the Lotteries Act and overseen by the National Lotteries Commission as statutory regulator, which anchors the transition inside a defined public‑law framework rather than a purely commercial handover.

The National Lotteries Commission (NLC) retains statutory responsibility for oversight of the licence award, allocations into the NLDTF and the regulatory supervision of lottery and sports‑pool operations. The NLC’s mandate includes advising the Minister of Trade and Industry on policy matters and acting as trustee over funds designated for good‑cause projects, which makes large jackpot cycles-where gross receipts and prize rollovers are concentrated-significant for the Commission’s forecasting and disbursement schedules.

Commercial structure and stakeholders

Sizekhaya Holdings, the incoming operator, is structured as a consortium with reported strategic shareholders that include entities with existing gaming and media interests. Corporate filings and company disclosures indicate Sizekhaya is linked to the Goldrush Group through a 50% interest held by Goldrush in Sizekhaya, positioning established gaming investors within the operator consortium. The commercial transition will require operational handover of retail point‑of‑sale systems, mobile and digital platforms, intellectual property related to game products and the transfer of contractual supplier arrangements. Stakeholders across this chain-from technology vendors to retail partners-are directly exposed to execution risk if the handover is mishandled.

ITHUBA, the incumbent since the licence awarded in 2015, built nationwide retail distribution and mobile integration networks during its term; any transition will need to preserve continuity of sales, prize validation and NLDTF remittance mechanisms to avoid disruptions to revenue flows and claim processing. For retailers and players, the expectation is that the practical experience of buying a ticket and claiming a prize remains seamless across the licence boundary, even as back‑office systems and ownership structures change.

Prize mechanics, claims and retail economics

Operational mechanics for prize claims and retail payout caps remain in force for the current draw:

These payout thresholds and the requirement for winners to hold valid identification and a South African bank account (not older than three months) concentrate large‑value prize processing within operator and bank channels, creating predictable liquidity outflows for the operator and administrative workloads for banks and the NLC’s distribution oversight. They also form part of the sector’s anti‑money‑laundering and consumer‑protection architecture, giving regulators clearer visibility over high‑value prize flows.

Retail economics: the ticket price points and the size of the jackpot make the current draw attractive to casual and repeat players, increasing transactions per retailer and raising immediate commission payments. Those increased short‑term retail receipts are ordinarily reconciled to the operator’s gross sales figures and then apportioned among prizes, retailer commissions, operating costs and NLDTF allocations per the Lotteries Act and licence terms. For the public sector, that apportionment mechanism is the channel through which a spike in Friday‑night ticket sales can translate into additional funding for arts, sports and social‑development beneficiaries several months later.

Player odds, payout history and fiscal scale

The mechanics of play remain five numbers from 1-50 plus a PowerBall from 1-20. Published odds for the combined game are stated as 1 in 42,310,200 to win the top prize. The average historical jackpot payout figure referenced for PowerBall is R22 million; the highest recorded single payout referenced for the game is R232 million (February 2019). Those historical magnitudes illuminate how outlier jackpots drive sales spikes and create unusually large transfers to the NLDTF when won, effectively converting a single draw into a significant once‑off inflow for the grant‑funding system.

Large, multi‑week rollovers concentrate prize liabilities and can materially alter the timing of disbursements to good‑cause beneficiaries because NLDTF receipts are a function of net proceeds after prize and operating costs are accounted for in the remittance cycle. In practical terms, whether the R135 million jackpot is won on Friday or rolls again will influence when, and over what period, the underlying net proceeds are crystallised for allocation.

Transition risk, continuity and governance requirements

The scheduled operator handover introduces near‑term operational risk points that are business‑material: point‑of‑sale integration, mobile platform continuity, prize validation protocols and the integrity of financial reconciliation procedures. Contractual obligations embedded in the licence require a transition that preserves ticket‑sale continuity and timely remittance to the NLDTF; Sizekhaya’s public commitments include provisions for transferring intellectual property to government at licence expiry as part of lifecycle governance, underscoring that key game assets are ultimately treated as public‑interest infrastructure rather than private property alone.

For the NLC and the Minister’s office, the practical oversight tasks during the handover window include verifying the transfer of supplier contracts, testing reconciliation processes under live sales conditions, and confirming that APPC and bank claim arrangements remain operational without interruption. These are regulatory controls intended to shield beneficiaries and winners from administrative or financial disruption, and to reassure Parliament and the Auditor‑General that the integrity of lottery proceeds is maintained through a politically visible change of operator.

Operational timeline and immediate business effects

• 10 March 2026: Draw produced no top‑tier winners, leaving the combined jackpot at R135 million for the Friday 13 March 2026 draw.
• 13 March 2026: Scheduled PowerBall and PowerBall Plus draw at 21:00 (tickets sell until 20:30).
• 1 June 2026: Scheduled handover of the National Lottery and Sports Pools operator to Sizekhaya Holdings; incumbent operator activity will continue until that date.

Against this timetable, Friday’s draw is both a consumer event and a live test of the systems that will shortly need to be replicated under new ownership. For policymakers and governance stakeholders, the focus over the coming months will be less on the winning numbers than on whether the flow of funds from players to prizes and then to public‑benefit programmes remains uninterrupted and credible.

The operator transition scheduled for 1 June 2026 remains the confirmed next procedural step.

JOHANNESBURG –

PowerBall and PowerBall Plus on Tuesday 10 March 2026 will offer a combined headline jackpot of R124 million after a sequence of rollovers that has pushed available prize money well above recent averages. The two-tier offering comprises an R84 million PowerBall jackpot and an R40 million PowerBall Plus pool; the accumulation follows a winless draw on Friday 6 March 2026 and marks the twelfth consecutive PowerBall rollover. The scheduled draw time is 21:00 on 10 March 2026, with ticket sales closing at 20:30.

The immediate business implications are threefold: elevated retail and digital transaction volumes for sellers and payment platforms during the build-up; a short-term boost to ITHUBA’s gross receipts from ticket sales under its operating model; and additional, earmarked transfers to the National Lotteries Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF) driven by the higher take from ticket sales. The underlying mechanics-ticket pricing, odds and claiming procedures-remain unchanged for the draw, which is conducted under South Africa’s national-lottery licence framework.

Jackpot mechanics and market figures

Ticket pricing and structure for the 10 March draw are standard for South Africa’s PowerBall product: players choose five numbers from 1-50 and a single PowerBall from 1-20. The publicly advertised retail cost is R5 per PowerBall board plus R2.50 for PowerBall Plus (R7.50 total per board). Odds for a jackpot match remain long-public materials cite a 1 in 42,310,200 chance-while historical averages place the typical PowerBall jackpot payout near R22 million, making the current R124 million pool roughly six times that average and one of the larger combined jackpots in recent years. The most recent winless draw (draw date: 6 March 2026) produced the following numbers: PowerBall main numbers 10, 11, 15, 18, 50 with PowerBall 11; PowerBall Plus numbers 15, 21, 25, 44, 49 with PowerBall 01.

• Combined jackpot (10 March 2026 draw): R124,000,000 (R84m PowerBall; R40m PowerBall Plus).
• Draw date and times: draw scheduled for 21:00 on 10 March 2026; ticket sales close at 20:30.
• Most recent draw (6 March 2026) numbers: PowerBall 10, 11, 15, 18, 50 (PowerBall 11); PowerBall Plus 15, 21, 25, 44, 49 (PowerBall 01).
• Ticket cost: R5 per PowerBall board; R2.50 for PowerBall Plus (R7.50 per board if both played).
• Claim window and payout tiers: winnings must be claimed within 365 days; retail outlets pay up to R2,000; Approved Prize Payment Centres handle R10,000-R49,999; bank EFTs are used between R49,999 and R249,999 (African Bank exception noted at R49,999); prizes above R250,000 are handled in-person at ITHUBA.

“99.9% of the time the house wins”

Operator and regulatory backdrop

The National Lottery has been operated under licence by ITHUBA Holdings since the licence award in 2015; that operating model includes a central gaming system, retail network and digital channels for ticket sales. ITHUBA describes a shareholder structure built around broad-based participation and reports a network of stakeholders and special-purpose vehicles intended to satisfy empowerment and transformation requirements under South Africa’s broader public-interest and transformation agenda.

The game and the operator function within a statutory and regulatory framework overseen by the National Lotteries Commission (NLC). The NLC’s regulatory instruments and licence conditions require the operator to make prescribed payments to the NLDTF and to ensure the security and integrity of the central gaming system, retail accreditation and prize-protection mechanisms, including a 365-day claim period for winners. The NLC also vets directors, staff and retail partners as part of licence compliance activity, making lottery operations a live test of governance, corporate suitability and financial-controls standards in a mass-market consumer product.

The operator landscape is in formal transition. The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition announced the appointment of Sizekhaya Holdings as the fourth National Lottery and Sports Pools licence holder; that appointment is scheduled to take effect 1 June 2026, with arrangements for a managed transition from the incumbent operator. The announcement followed a competitive bidding process and court proceedings that affected the precise timetable for licensing and any temporary licensing arrangements, underscoring the extent to which lottery operations intersect with procurement law, administrative justice and policy scrutiny.

Fiscal flows and distribution mechanics

A larger jackpot directly lifts the volume of ticket sales and associated transactional revenue across retail points and digital channels. Under current licence arrangements the operator remits a prescribed portion of ticket-sales proceeds to the NLDTF for distribution to approved good-cause projects; those transfers are subject to regulatory oversight and timetable requirements set out in the licence. Higher gross sales therefore translate to both higher operator receipts (subject to cost structures and commission) and larger transfers to the NLDTF when applicable, with downstream implications for civil-society organisations and public-interest programmes that depend on these allocations.

On taxation, South Africa’s treatment of lottery proceeds has been a subject of policy attention. Historically, national-lottery winnings have not been treated as taxable income in the same manner as employment income; however, broader gambling and betting tax policy has been reviewed within recent national budget planning cycles, and proposals or adjustments to withholding arrangements on gambling winnings have been discussed in fiscal documents. Operators and payout intermediaries have been monitoring guidance from Treasury and SARS for any implemented withholding or reporting changes that would affect net prize receipts. For example, budget commentary during the 2025/26 cycle referenced possible adjustments to withholding treatment on certain gambling winnings, highlighting the sensitivity of lottery policy to broader revenue-raising debates.

Claims, retail economics and payment rails

The practical steps for winners and the payment levels influence how banks, retailers and the operator handle sudden, large payments. Retail outlets are authorised to pay small prizes on-site up to a statutory limit (R2,000). Larger tiers require Approved Prize Payment Centres and then bank-mediated electronic transfers; prizes above the high-threshold require in-person verification at an ITHUBA office. These thresholds create discrete transaction flows that engage different parts of the financial system-from point-of-sale liquidity for independent retailers to bank compliance and anti-fraud checks for large EFTs. The 365-day claim period remains the operative deadline for prize claims, and unclaimed prizes after that point revert into prescribed redistribution channels under the licence conditions.

Operational notes for market participants

Retailers generally experience a transient spike in transactions, cash handling and reconciliation activity when jackpots enlarge; acquirers, payment processors and banks must scale reconciliation, fraud controls and liquidity to meet peak-day demand. The digital channel (banking apps and operator mobile app) also absorbs increased ticket volume and places load on the central gaming system. ITHUBA has reported that the last two major jackpot winners used auto-generated Quick Pick selections purchased through banking applications-an operational detail that highlights the importance of digital sales channels to overall volume and to the financial-services sector’s role in the lottery ecosystem.

GlobalHeadlinez maintains two operational hyperlinks for readers seeking procedural details and regulator information: the National Lottery website and the National Lotteries Commission site are available for ticketing, mobile app downloads, licence information and official rule sets. For broader comparative context on prize structures and rollovers in other major lotteries, readers may consult international lottery-result aggregators such as USA Mega, which track multi-state games abroad but underscore the common mechanics of jackpot escalation.

The draw remains scheduled for 21:00 on 10 March 2026 (ticket sales cut off at 20:30); ITHUBA continues as the operating incumbent pending the scheduled transition in licences, and Sizekhaya Holdings’ appointment to assume the fourth National Lottery licence is set to take effect on 1 June 2026.

JOHANNESBURG –

Lede – South Africa’s PowerBall and PowerBall Plus jackpots total R102 million for the Tuesday, March 3, 2026 draw, presented as R68 million for the PowerBall and R34 million for PowerBall Plus following a tenth consecutive rollover. The draw follows a winless Friday, February 27, 2026 ballot and extends a run of elevated jackpots that include a near-record R179 million payout earlier in January 2026. Tickets remain on sale until 20:30 for the March 3 draw, with the official draw scheduled at 21:00.

Nut graph – The accumulated prize pool affects retail receipts, weekly lottery revenues and statutory distributions to South Africa’s National Lotteries Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF). With an outsized jackpot, immediate retail and digital sales typically increase, altering short-term cash flows for participating retailers, the operator and the public funders who receive a share of lottery revenues for social-sector grants. Because the lottery is designated as a national revenue-raising instrument rather than a purely commercial game, spikes in jackpot size also have implications for how predictable and stable those public-interest flows remain over the course of the financial year.

Prize mechanics and immediate fiscal flow

PowerBall requires players to select five numbers from 1-50 and one PowerBall number from 1-20. The per-board cost is R5 for PowerBall plus an additional R2.50 for PowerBall Plus; an entry for both products therefore costs R7.50. The published odds for a jackpot are shown in the available draw documentation and reflect the independent probability of each draw. The February 27, 2026 draw produced winning number sets for PowerBall and PowerBall Plus but no jackpot winner, which produced the current rollover to the March 3, 2026 jackpot.

Sales revenue from ticket purchases funds three primary channels in the short term: prize pools, operator receipts (covering running costs, commissions and profit margin), and mandated transfers to the NLDTF and related statutory charges. For players, the headline figure – R102 million – signals a higher-than-average jackpot relative to historical PowerBall payouts, a dynamic that typically lifts spend at retail tills and in digital channels in the 24-72 hours leading to the draw. For the public purse, that additional spend translates into a temporary step-up in the quantum of funds moving through the statutory allocation formula, even though the percentage shares between prizes, the operator and the NLDTF remain fixed.

Operator and regulatory framework

The national lottery is operated by ITHUBA under the current licence framework; ITHUBA describes itself as a privately owned South African company formed through a consortium and structured to meet black economic empowerment objectives when the licence was won in 2015. The company runs PowerBall, PowerBall Plus and other lottery games as exclusive licence-holder, subject to performance targets and compliance conditions set out in its agreement with the state.

The National Lotteries Commission (NLC) administers the statutory framework for lottery proceeds and oversees the National Lotteries Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF), which receives a mandated percentage of lottery revenue for distribution to charitable and public-interest causes. Under the terms of the operator licence, 27% of National Lottery revenue is transferred to the NLDTF; the NLC reports on the management and distribution of those funds in line with the Lotteries Act and associated regulations.

Distribution and social-sector impact

The NLDTF channels funds to multiple sectors – sport and recreation, arts and culture, national heritage and other charitable projects – according to the Lotteries Act framework and ministerially approved allocation criteria. Elevated jackpots tend to generate higher nominal contributions to the fund because the statutory percentage is applied to operator revenue flows; that in turn can produce larger pooled amounts available for allocation in the NLDTF’s next distribution cycle. For grant-making bodies and applicant organisations that depend on this income stream, a run of strong draws can ease pressure on future funding rounds, even if the timing of actual disbursements still depends on internal adjudication processes.

The NLDTF’s operational year runs from April 1 to March 31, and funds accumulated in one financial year are available for allocation in the following cycle. This means that sales from the March 3, 2026 draw fall at the tail end of the current financial year but will help shape the size of the envelope available to social-sector beneficiaries in 2026/27.

Retail and digital sales dynamics

High-value rollovers frequently concentrate consumer spend into the short window before a draw. Sales mix shifts toward multi-board purchases and Quick Pick entries placed through banking apps and mobile channels have been cited as significant for recent major winners. Retail commission structures and the operator’s digital receipts capture a larger absolute value when jackpots spike, even though the percentage splits remain fixed under licence terms. For shop owners and franchise groups, the surge in footfall associated with large jackpots can also lift ancillary sales, from convenience goods to prepaid services.

The operator and participating banks process prize payments according to prescribed thresholds, with in-store payouts limited to smaller prizes and larger prizes routed through approved payment centres and operator offices. That tiered system is designed both to manage fraud risk and to ensure that substantial wins are subject to additional identity and banking checks, including basic financial counselling where appropriate.

Prize-claim governance and liquidity considerations

Prize claims follow tiered procedures: small prizes are paid at retail; prizes from R10,000 to R49,999 are claimed at Approved Prize Payment Centres; prizes from R49,999 to R249,999 may be paid via participating banks by electronic funds transfer; and prizes above R250,000 require presentation at an ITHUBA office. Winners must be 18 or older, present valid identification and a bank account no older than three months, and claim winnings within 365 days of the draw. These thresholds determine the liquidity and timing of large prize outflows from operator balances and influence short-term funding requirements for payout processing.

Unclaimed prizes after the 365-day period are typically channelled back into the lottery system under the governing legislation, either by boosting future prize pools or being redirected to good-cause funding. That structure limits the extent to which long-dormant liabilities remain on the operator’s balance sheet and reinforces the public-policy intent that lottery proceeds ultimately circulate back to participants and designated beneficiaries.

Operational continuity and licence environment

The operator’s licence terms and any transition between licence holders are material to medium-term market structure for lottery retail, digital distribution and the flow of funds into the NLDTF. Recent procurement cycles and licence decisions have been subject to administrative and legal processes; market participants and bidders continue to monitor the timetable for any licence handover and transitional arrangements. Any change in operator would require careful coordination with the NLC to avoid disruption to weekly draws, retailer networks and the grant-making pipeline that depends on predictable inflows from lottery sales.

Final business status – R102 million is the advertised combined PowerBall and PowerBall Plus jackpot for the draw on March 3, 2026 (R68 million PowerBall; R34 million PowerBall Plus); tickets are available until 20:30 on March 3, 2026, ahead of the 21:00 draw, and prize-claiming procedures remain subject to the operator’s published thresholds and a 365-day claim window.

JOHANNESBURG —

A R91-million PowerBall and PowerBall Plus jackpot will headline Friday’s national draw on 27 February 2026 after no top-prize winners were recorded in the Tuesday 24 February 2026 draw. The combined pool represents a ninth consecutive rollover since the R179‑million top prize paid out in January 2026, with the Friday split showing R61 million in the PowerBall and R30 million in the PowerBall Plus draw. Tickets for the 21:00 SAST draw on 27 February 2026 are available until 20:30 SAST.

Friday draw and prize breakdown

The most recent draw, held on 24 February 2026, produced the following number sets; no jackpot winners were recorded, producing the current rollover:

Entry mechanics and consumer costs for the Friday draws are unchanged: players select five numbers from 1–50 and one PowerBall number from 1–20. A single PowerBall board costs R5, PowerBall Plus is R2.50, and the combined ticket is therefore R7.50. The statistical odds of winning the PowerBall jackpot remain 1 in 42,391,200; average historical jackpot payouts are materially lower than the current pool, making this R91‑million total significantly above the game’s long‑run mean. For most participants, however, the more realistic outcome is a smaller lower‑tier prize or no prize at all, underscoring the high‑risk nature of lottery play.

Operator and regulatory framework

The operator historically associated with the National Lottery, ITHUBA Holdings, is organised as a privately owned South African company with a shareholder base that includes entities such as Zamani Gaming and ICT provider Paytronix, among others; the company presents its ownership and stakeholder information publicly on its corporate site. It operates under a time‑bound licence to run the National Lottery and related games, including PowerBall and PowerBall Plus.

The National Lotteries Commission (NLC) regulates the National Lottery and administers the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF). Under the licence framework the NLC oversees, a fixed portion of lottery revenue is transferred into the NLDTF on a weekly basis; the Commission also provides the statutory governance, oversight and grant‑administration structures that convert lottery proceeds into allocated funds for public‑benefit projects. The NLC’s mandate, functions and enforcement powers are set out in the Lotteries Act and subsequent amendments, which define conditions for licence awards, compliance monitoring and how net proceeds must be applied.

Revenue flows and public‑funding implications

Lottery ticket sales generate two distinct financial flows that matter to public finance and to participating retailers. First, prize pools and operator revenues are funded by ticket sales and subsequently disbursed through the operator’s prize‑pay mechanics. Second, the legislated transfers into the NLDTF convert a percentage of weekly revenue into funds earmarked for sport, culture and social projects; the distribution rules and sectoral allocations are set out under the Lotteries Amendment Act and administered by the NLC. These mechanics mean unusually large jackpots can temporarily lift weekly ticket revenues and, by extension, the short‑term receipts flowing into the NLDTF and operator accounts.

Retail and prize‑payment logistics are segmented by prize size. Retail outlets may pay small prizes directly (up to R2,000). Larger lower‑tier prizes are channelled through Approved Prize Payment Centres and participating banks for electronic funds transfer, with the highest prize tiers requiring in‑person verification at an operator office. These payout thresholds determine cash‑flow timing for winners and operational requirements for both the operator and participating banks, and are designed to support anti‑fraud controls, identity verification and compliance with financial‑sector regulations.

Market and operational notes

The current rollover sequence — now nine consecutive draws without a jackpot winner since the January 2026 R179‑million payout — has commercial consequences for retail turnover and for the operator’s marketing cadence. Internationally, extended rollover cycles are typically associated with short, sharp spikes in ticket demand as jackpots grow, followed by normalisation once the top prize is won. South Africa’s pattern appears to be tracking that global experience, with the current pool likely to lift week‑on‑week sales from casual and occasional players.

Auto‑generated Quick Pick entries sold through digital channels contributed to recent winning tickets in prior draws, signalling a continuing shift in distribution from purely in‑store purchase to app‑ and banking‑app‑facilitated transactions. The operator’s digital channel mix influences ticket‑sale concentration, retailer commission flows and the operator’s technology‑and‑payments cost base. For regulators and policymakers, the migration online also raises questions about how responsible‑gaming messaging, age verification and spending‑limit tools are implemented in digital environments compared with traditional over‑the‑counter sales.

For consumers, the ticket‑sale cut‑off remains 20:30 SAST for the 21:00 SAST draw on 27 February 2026. Final prize adjudication, payout ceilings by channel, and the 365‑day window for claims remain the operative procedures for any winning tickets. Players who fail to claim within that one‑year window forfeit their prizes, with the unclaimed amounts treated in line with the provisions of the Lotteries Act and licence conditions.

Tickets remain on sale until 20:30 SAST for the 21:00 SAST draw on 27 February 2026, subject to the usual terms and conditions of play.

JOHANNESBURG —

The combined PowerBall and PowerBall Plus jackpots for Friday 13 February 2026 total R57 million, with the PowerBall top prize set at R30 million and PowerBall Plus at R27 million after no jackpot winner in the previous Tuesday draw. The Tuesday 10 February 2026 draws produced the following numbers: PowerBall main numbers 17, 23, 25, 39, 49 with PowerBall 11; PowerBall Plus main numbers 04, 20, 37, 41, 42 with PowerBall 11. Ticket sales for the Friday draw close at 20:30 on 13 February 2026, ahead of the 21:00 draw.

The size and frequency of national jackpots have direct commercial consequences for the lottery operator, retail partners and the statutory distribution mechanism that channels lottery proceeds to public-good projects. Elevated jackpots typically drive short-term spikes in ticket sales and payment flows that affect weekly transfers to the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund, retail commission income and operator transaction volumes. They also sharpen policy questions around how effectively lottery-generated revenue is stewarded and whether distribution keeps pace with the concentration of sales during headline rollover periods.

Jackpot mechanics and recent results

PowerBall players select five numbers from 1–50 and one PowerBall number from 1–20; the odds of matching all six numbers are reported at 1 in 42,375,200. The combined Friday 13 February 2026 purse follows a winless Tuesday draw on 10 February 2026 and sits above the cited average PowerBall jackpot payout of R22 million, underlining the degree of rollover now built into the game’s design. The article’s source also notes a January 2026 headline R179 million PowerBall winner and references the R232 million record payout in February 2019 as the largest national PowerBall prize to date, a benchmark that continues to frame regulatory and public debate about concentration of winnings versus broad-based small payouts.

Prize payment procedures are tiered by size: retail outlets pay out prizes up to R2,000; amounts between R10,000 and R49,999 are disbursed at Approved Prize Payment Centres; participating banks make electronic payments for prizes from R49,999 up to R249,999 (with some institutional exceptions); prizes above R250,000 must be claimed in person at an ITHUBA office. Winnings must be claimed within 365 days of the draw, and claimants must be 18 or older and hold valid South African identification and a bank account not older than three months. These thresholds are intended to balance accessibility for small winners with stricter verification and anti-fraud controls for higher-value payouts.

Regulatory framework and operator role

The National Lotteries Commission administers the statutory framework governing the National Lottery and holds trusteeship responsibilities for the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF). The Commission’s mandate includes licensing oversight, ensuring propriety in draws and advising on the allocation of proceeds to designated social sectors; current licence terms stipulate a fixed percentage of lottery revenue is transferred weekly to the NLDTF. The Commission’s oversight powers and duties are grounded in the Lotteries Act and associated regulations, with formal regulatory information and compliance notices published on the National Lotteries Commission website.

The day‑to‑day running of the South African National Lottery during the current licence period is undertaken by Ithuba Holdings. Ithuba provides the retail network, digital ticketing platforms and draw technology that underpin national sales and prize administration; the operator’s role therefore determines transaction processing capacity, retailer support arrangements and the mechanics for prize fulfilment. As jackpots grow, the robustness of Ithuba’s systems and its contingency planning for peak periods come into sharper focus for regulators, retailers and players alike. For operator contact details and corporate statements, including information on responsible play campaigns, see the Ithuba Holdings site.

Financial flows, retail operators and public funding

Lottery revenue is a near‑term cash flow engine for three distinct channels: (1) operator and retailer receipts and commissions; (2) statutory transfers to the NLDTF that fund grants to sport, arts and other public-good sectors; and (3) prize pools. The Commission’s published framework sets the percentage of gross lottery revenue transferred to the NLDTF under the licence arrangement; those transfers are processed weekly and subsequently allocated by distributing agencies in line with statutory regulations and ministerial policy directions. In practice, large jackpots typically raise gross sales in the short term, increasing weekly transfers to the NLDTF but also elevating the operator’s transactional workload and retailer cash handling requirements.

Retail partners experience concentrated uplifts in foot traffic and transaction volumes around high jackpots. That increases retail commission receipts but also heightens the operational burden on outlets and on the operator’s retail support infrastructure, which must ensure terminal availability, reconciliation and secure prize payments within the published payout bands. For smaller, independent retailers these surges can be material to weekly turnover, while also exposing them more directly to cash security and liquidity risks if settlement and payout processes falter.

At a policy level, persistent jackpot growth and rollover sequences are closely watched by the Commission and the relevant ministry because they influence both public perceptions of fairness and the predictability of funding flows to beneficiary sectors. Officials and distributing agencies must plan grant commitments on the basis of revenue that can fluctuate sharply when headline jackpots drive one-off spikes in participation.

Claiming rules and tax treatment

Claiming thresholds and venue rules for prize collection are detailed above and require winning tickets or verified SMS/email confirmations. In South Africa, lottery prizes are not subject to income tax under normal circumstances; winnings are generally treated as capital in nature and exempt from income tax and capital gains tax unless lottery activity is conducted as a professional business. Claimants are nonetheless advised to maintain documentation for tax and banking records and, in the case of very large wins, to seek independent financial and legal advice to manage disclosure, estate planning and longer-term obligations.

Ticket sales for the 13 February 2026 draw close at 20:30 on that date and the draw will occur at 21:00. Ithuba remains the operating company managing lottery retail and digital channels during the current licence period, and statutory transfers to the NLDTF will proceed under the established weekly schedule, with Friday’s elevated jackpots expected to translate into a temporary uptick in both prize payouts and funds available for distribution to public-good programmes.