Maine Resident Claims $498 Million After-Tax Jackpot Win from Mega Millions Draw
By The holder of the winning ticket for the $1.35 billion Mega Millions jackpot has come forward to accept their winnings, state officials in Maine announced on Wednesday.[0] The ticket was sold on the 13th of January at Hometown Gas & Grill in Lebanon, Maine, and the store received a $50,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket.[1]
The winner selected the cash option, which was a one-time, lump-sum payment of $723,564,144 before taxes.[2] By choosing the cash option, they will receive more than $498 million after taxes.[3] Taxes in the amount of $173.6 million will go to the federal government and $51 million to the state, according to Michael Boardman, director of the Maine Bureau of Alcoholic Beverages and Lottery Operations.[3]
The winner has chosen to remain anonymous, accepting the winnings through a limited liability company called LaKoma Island Investments, LLC.[1] If they had opted for the full amount, they would have received 30 payments over 29 years.[4]
This jackpot is the second-largest in Mega Millions history and the fourth time the game has had a billion-dollar win. The largest Mega Millions jackpot in October 2018 was $1.53 billion, claimed by a single ticket holder in South Carolina. Two Powerball jackpot prizes have been bigger than any other, with one reaching an incredible amount of over $2 billion
In spite of formidable odds of 1 in 302.6 million, someone triumphed in the drawing on Friday the 13th.[3] We congratulate the winner and wish them all the best as they consider how to best use their recent winnings.[5]
0. “Winner of $1.35 billion Mega Millions jackpot comes forward” WGME, 22 Feb. 2023, https://wgme.com/news/local/winner-of-135-billion-mega-millions-jackpot-comes-forward-hometown-gas-grill-lebanon-fred-cotreau-prize-cash-payout-annuity-gambling-grand-prize-drawing-numbers-money-cash-odds-tickets-maine-lottery
1. “‘Life-changing' $1.35 billion Mega Millions jackpot claimed in Maine” CBS Boston, 22 Feb. 2023, https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/mega-millions-maine-jackpot-winner-comes-forward
2. “Winner of $1.35 billion Mega Millions jackpot claims prize” Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel, 22 Feb. 2023, https://www.centralmaine.com/2023/02/22/winner-of-1-35-billion-mega-millions-jackpot-claims-prize/
3. “Winner comes forward to claim $1.35B Mega Millions jackpot” The Washington Post, 22 Feb. 2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/winner-comes-forward-to-claim-135b-mega-millions-jackpot/2023/02/22/ad9aa014-b2cf-11ed-94a0-512954d75716_story.html
4. “$1.35 billion Mega Millions jackpot winner claims prize” 9News.com KUSA, 22 Feb. 2023, https://www.9news.com/article/news/nation-world/mega-millions-1-billion-dollar-jackpot-winner-claims-prize-maine/507-0b4b7011-fd93-4b47-9db8-87ee024efa68
5. “Maine's $1.35B Mega Millions winner finally comes forward” WMTW Portland, 22 Feb. 2023, https://www.wmtw.com/article/maines-mega-millions-winner-claims-prize-lakoma-island-investments/43021275
