FEBRUARY 23, 2023:
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The winner of a $1.35 billion Mega Millions jackpot — the fourth largest in U.S. history — has come forward to collect the prize, state officials said Wednesday (Feb. 22, 2023).
The winner had been a mystery, and remains a mystery.
The Maine State Lottery said the winner chose to remain anonymous and collect the cash option through a limited liability company, LaKoma Island Investments LLC, instead of receiving the full amount in payments over time.
“The winner is thoughtfully considering the best uses of the life-changing prize,” a representative said in a statement.
By choosing the cash option, the winner will receive a one-time, lump-sum payment of $723,564,144 before taxes, officials said.
The winner had the option of coming forward in person with the winning ticket or remaining anonymous through a trust, lottery officials said.
The winning ticket was validated when a representative came to the lottery headquarters in Augusta on Friday, and the wire transfer of the money will take place before the end of the week, said Michael Boardman, deputy director of Maine Bureau of Alcoholic Beverages & Lottery Operation.
“I understand why someone would want to remain anonymous with this kind of money. We wish them well and hope they do good things with it,” he said.
The winning ticket for the Jan. 13 drawing was purchased at Hometown Gas & Grill in Lebanon, which is located on a busy highway in a small town near the New Hampshire border.
Owner Fred Cotreau said he had no idea who held the winning ticket.
“We’re going to wait and see if it’s a local. Who knows? Sometimes they come to the store and say thank you, but I’m not going to lose any sleep over it,” said Cotreau, who shared half of the store’s proceeds of $50,000 for selling the winning ticket with his employees.
If the winner had chosen to accept the full amount, then there would’ve been 30 payments over 29 years, Boardman said.
By accepting the cash payout, the winner will receive more than $498 million after taxes, Boardman said. Taxes in the amount of $173.6 million will go to the federal government and $51 million to the state, he said. The limited liability company that will receive the money was incorporated out of state, he said.
The winner overcame steep odds of 1 in 302.6 million, in the drawing on Friday the 13th, no less. It was the first Maine winner for the Mega Millions jackpot, which is played in 45 states as well as the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
JANUARY 14, 2023:
UNDATED (AP)- Maine scored its first Mega Millions jackpot when a ticket purchased in the state matched the winning numbers for the lottery’s estimated $1.35 billion grand prize. The Maine State Lottery says the winning ticket was sold at Hometown Gas & Grill in Lebanon, Maine. The lucky combination of numbers drawn late Friday night (Jan. 13, 2023) were: 30, 43, 45, 46, 61 and gold Mega Ball 14. The winner, whose name is not yet known, overcame steep odds of 1 in 302.6 million, which led to three months of drawings without a claim on the jackpot. The Hometown Gas & Grill owner says there’s quite a buzz at the small-town gas station and he hopes someone in town is the winner.
JANUARY 13, 2023:
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Mega Millions players will have another chance to end months of losing and finally win a jackpot that has grown to $1.35 billion. Plenty of people have won smaller prizes in the lottery game, but no one has matched all six numbers and won the grand prize since Oct. 14, 2022. Those 25 straight drawings without a winner have allowed the top prize to roll over and grow larger for three months. It’s now the fourth-largest lottery prize in U.S. history. If there isn’t a winner Friday night (Jan. 13, 2023), the jackpot will inch closer to the record $2.04 billion Powerball prize won last November in California. The long stretch without a Mega Millions jackpot winner is because of the game’s steep odds of 1 in 302.6 million.
JANUARY 11, 2023:
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Mega Millions prize has grown again to an estimated $1.35 billion after there was no winner of the lottery’s latest giant jackpot. The numbers drawn late Tuesday night (Jan. 10, 2023) were: 7, 13, 14, 15, 18 and gold Mega Ball 9. Mega Millions says the prize for the next drawing on Friday night is the second highest in the game’s history. There have been 25 drawings over three months since the last time a player matched all six numbers and claimed the jackpot. The estimated $1.35 billion jackpot prize would only be distributed to a winner who chooses an annuity paid over 29 years. Nearly all jackpot winners take a cash payout, which for Friday night’s drawing is an estimated $707.9 million.
JANUARY 10, 2023:
CHICAGO (AP) — After nearly three months of lottery losing, will someone finally break the trend and win a $1.1 billion Mega Millions jackpot? Regardless of how long it takes, the odds of winning the top lottery prize don’t change, and they’re formidable at 1 in 302.6 million. But someone will eventually match all six numbers and win the jackpot, which now ranks as the fifth-largest in U.S. history. The drawing is set for 11 p.m. EST Tuesday (Jan. 10, 2023). The $1.1 billion prize is for a winner who chooses to be paid through an annuity over 29 years. Winners usually prefer cash, which would be an estimated $568.7 million.
JANUARY 7, 2023:
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Another Mega Millions drawing, another night without a big winner. No one hit all six numbers and won the estimated $940 million jackpot, pushing the lottery prize to an estimated $1.1 billion ahead of the next drawing Tuesday night (Jan. 10, 2023). The numbers drawn late Friday were: 3, 20, 46, 59, 63 and gold Mega Ball 13. The prize is now the third-largest in U.S. history. There have been 24 drawings without a jackpot winner. The winless streak is largely due to the game’s long odds of 1 in 302.6 million. The new estimated prize is for a winner who chooses an annuity paid annually over 29 years. Grand prize winners usually take the cash option, which for Tuesday night’s drawing will be an estimated $568.7 million.
JANUARY 6, 2023:
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Lottery players whose numbers didn’t hit or who forgot to even buy a ticket will have another shot at a nearly $1 billion Mega Millions prize. The estimated $940 million jackpot up for grabs Friday night (Jan. 6, 2023) has been growing for more than two months and now ranks as the sixth-largest in U.S history. Even as the prize grows larger, the odds of winning remain the same: 1 in 302.6 million. The $940 million jackpot is for winners who choose an annuity, paid annually over 29 years. Winners usually want cash, which for Friday night’s drawing would be an estimated $483.5 million. Mega Millions is played in 45 states as well as Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
JANUARY 4, 2023:
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Mega Millions jackpot increased to an estimated $940 million after another drawing resulted in plenty of losers but not a single grand prize winner. The numbers drawn late Tuesday (Jan. 3, 2023) were: 25, 29, 33, 41, 44 and gold Mega Ball 18. The next drawing is scheduled to be held Friday night. The new $940 million jackpot is for a winner who chooses to be paid through an annuity over 29 years. Nearly all winners opt for a cash payout, which for Friday night’s drawing would be an estimated $483.5 million. The lack of a winner Tuesday means there have been 23 straight drawings without anyone taking the top prize. The new jackpot will remain the sixth-largest jackpot in U.S. history.
JANUARY 2, 2023:
UNDATED (AP)- The first Mega Millions drawing of the new year will be a big one after no one won an estimated $685 million jackpot. Mega Millions says no ticket purchased for the lottery matched all six numbers drawn Friday night. The top prize increased to $785 million ahead of the next drawing Tuesday night (Jan. 3, 2023). The numbers selected Friday were: 1, 3, 6, 44, 51 and gold Mega Ball 7. The jackpot has grown so large thanks to long odds of one in 302.6 million that have resulted in 22 straight drawings without a big winner. The estimated $785 million prize is for a winner who chooses to be paid through an annuity, with annual checks over 29 years. Nearly all winners opt for cash, which for the next drawing would be an estimated $395 million.
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