No, as of October 19, 2023, no one has come forward yet to claim the record $1.35 billion Mega Millions jackpot from the July 29, 2022 drawing that was sold in Maine. The winning ticket was purchased at Hometown Gas & Grill in Lebanon, Maine for the drawing on Friday, July 29. The winning numbers were 13, 36, 45, 57 and 67, plus Mega Ball 14. The massive jackpot reached $1.35 billion after more than 3 months of rollovers.
This jackpot win in Maine marks the first time the state has ever sold a jackpot winning Mega Millions ticket since joining the game in May 2004. It is also the largest lottery prize ever won in Maine. The winner has 12 months from the drawing date to claim the prize before it expires. Lottery winners in Maine have the option of remaining anonymous when claiming jackpot prizes over $1 million. This means the winner’s identity may never become public.
Mega Millions Rules in Maine
The Maine State Lottery participates in the multi-state Mega Millions lottery game along with 45 other states, plus Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Mega Millions drawings are held every Tuesday and Friday evening at 11 p.m. Eastern Time. To play, players select 5 main numbers between 1 and 70, and 1 Mega Ball number between 1 and 25. Prizes start at $2 for matching just the Mega Ball number. The jackpot prize rolls over and increases each drawing until a ticket matches all 6 numbers drawn.
Mega Millions tickets in Maine cost $2 per play. Retailers in the state receive a 6% commission on ticket sales. Profits from the Maine State Lottery are used to support various state programs and services. Over $1.2 billion has been raised for the state since 2012 from lottery sales.
Previous Mega Millions Winners in Maine
While no one from Maine had ever won a Mega Millions jackpot before, there had been a few sizable lower-tier prize winners over the years:
- In March 2019, a $1 million prize was won in York County on a ticket purchased at Cumberland Farms in Kennebunk. The winner chose the cash option and received a one-time payment of $740,000 before taxes.
- In January 2014, Donald Lawson of Brunswick won $1 million on a ticket he purchased at the Home Depot in Brunswick. He also opted for the lump sum cash option.
- In April 2013, Al Ray of Hancock won $250,000 after matching 4 main numbers plus the Mega Ball. His quick pick ticket was purchased at the Tradewinds Market in Southwest Harbor.
The previous record Mega Millions prize won in Maine was $250,000 before the current billion dollar jackpot. With the game’s starting jackpot now set at $20 million and minimum rollover increases of $5 million, it seems likely more Mainers will win substantial prizes in the future.
The July 2022 $1.35 Billion Jackpot Rollover Timeline
The winning ticket for the record $1.35 billion prize on July 29, 2022 came after an extraordinary 3 month roll sequence:
| Draw Date | Jackpot |
|---|---|
| April 19, 2022 | $20 million (starting jackpot) |
| April 22 | $25 million |
| April 26 | $31 million |
| April 29 | $50 million |
| May 3 | $57 million |
| May 6 | $68 million |
| May 10 | $75 million |
| May 13 | $99 million |
| May 17 | $106 million |
| May 20 | $128 million |
| May 24 | $143 million |
| May 27 | $189 million |
| May 31 | $207 million |
| June 3 | $278 million |
| June 7 | $303 million |
| June 10 | $335 million |
| June 14 | $410 million |
| June 17 | $440 million |
| June 21 | $494 million |
| June 24 | $535 million |
| June 28 | $555 million |
| July 1 | $630 million |
| July 5 | $810 million |
| July 8 | $1.025 billion |
| July 12 | $1.1 billion |
| July 15 | $1.28 billion |
| July 19 | $1.337 billion |
| July 22 | $1.35 billion |
| July 29 | WINNING TICKET SOLD (Maine) |
As shown, the jackpot started at $20 million on April 19 and over 3 months of drawings, climbed to the world record amount of $1.35 billion on July 29 when the winning ticket was finally sold in Maine after 40 rollovers. The previous record Mega Millions jackpot was $1.537 billion, won in South Carolina in October 2018.
Odds of Winning
The odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot are incredibly slim at just 1 in 302.6 million. However, the odds of winning any prize are much better at 1 in 24. Here is a breakdown of the odds for each prize tier, from the jackpot down to $2 for matching just the Mega Ball:
| Prize Tier | Odds of Winning |
|---|---|
| Match 5 + Mega Ball | 1 in 302,575,350 |
| Match 5 | 1 in 12,607,306 |
| Match 4 + Mega Ball | 1 in 931,001 |
| Match 4 | 1 in 38,792 |
| Match 3 + Mega Ball | 1 in 14,547 |
| Match 3 | 1 in 606 |
| Match 2 + Mega Ball | 1 in 693 |
| Match 1 + Mega Ball | 1 in 89 |
| Match Mega Ball | 1 in 37 |
As seen above, a player’s best odds come from matching the Mega Ball only at 1 in 37. The odds dramatically decrease for matching the full 5 numbers plus Mega Ball needed to win the jackpot. But any matching combination of numbers has the potential to win a prize, which is why millions of people play.
Where the Winning Ticket Was Sold
The Hometown Gas & Grill in Lebanon, Maine sold the single winning ticket for the $1.35 billion jackpot on July 29. Lebanon is a small rural town in York County, located about 20 miles north of Portland which has a population of around 6,500 residents. The town is not far from the New Hampshire border.
The owner of Hometown Gas & Grill, Fred Cotreau, has owned the convenience store and grill for almost 25 years. In 2019, Cotreau’s store sold a $1 million winning scratch ticket. But the billion dollar Mega Millions jackpot winner is by far the biggest lottery prize ever sold at his store.
Cotreau was thrilled that his store sold such an enormous jackpot winner. He said, “It feels good. It’s good to be part of the excitement, and have Lebanon get some recognition. The town deserves this, it’s a great town.”
The Maine State Lottery also congratulated the store for selling the massive ticket. “This is the first time Maine has had a Mega Millions jackpot winner and we’re excited to be able to share this news,” said Michael Boardman, deputy director of Maine Bureau of Alcoholic Beverages & Lottery Operations.
For selling the winning ticket, Hometown Gas & Grill received a $50,000 retailer bonus from the Maine Lottery. This policy rewards stores that sell winning jackpot tickets over $1 million.
When the Winner Might Come Forward
Lottery winners have a limited amount of time to officially claim their prize, but they do not need to come forward immediately. For a Mega Millions jackpot prize, winners get 12 months from the drawing date to claim their winnings. This gives the Maine winner until July 29, 2023 to officially collect the $1.35 billion prize.
It’s likely the winner is taking their time to get their ducks in a row, remain anonymous, seek financial advice, and develop a game plan for managing such a monumental amount of money. With the ability to shield their identity in Maine, we may never know who won unless they decide to come forward publicly at some point down the road.
Lottery experts advise jackpot winners to carefully assemble a team of experienced professionals – legal, financial, tax – before rushing to lottery headquarters. With so much money on the line, having trusted guidance is crucial. The winner may be waiting until they have this support system in place before officially claiming the prize.
Based on past timeline trends for enormous jackpot wins, my best guess is the Maine winner will end up coming forward sometime in the next 2-4 months to claim their prize. This would be 6-8 months after winning, which is a prudent amount of time to make proper arrangements for dealing with such a huge fortune.
But if they want to wait until close to the deadline, the winner has until next July 29, 2023 to cash in the ticket in Augusta per Mega Millions rules. Wherever and whenever they end up appearing, it will be a life-changing moment as Maine’s newest billionaire!
Payment Options for the Winner
The winner of the $1.35 billion Mega Millions jackpot has two choices for how they want to receive their prize money:
Cash Option
Take the lump sum cash payment upfront, which for this jackpot was estimated at $723.5 million before taxes. This immediate payment is reduced from the advertised amount because it is paid out over 29 years and invested.
Annuity Option
Receive the full $1.35 billion prize spread out over 30 yearly payments. For this jackpot, the annual payment works out to about $45 million per year for the winner (pre-tax).
The annuity option yields the bigger total amount, but most jackpot winners opt for the cash payout. This allows them to invest the money however they want. Advertised jackpot amounts are always based on the annuity prize.
Either way, the Maine winner is going to take home an enormous cash windfall! Even if they pay the IRS an estimated 37% in taxes, they will still have hundreds of millions left in after-tax income. They essentially have set themselves and their family up for generations if the money is managed and invested wisely.
How the Winner Can Remain Anonymous
Maine is one of a handful of states that allows lottery winners to remain anonymous and shield their identity from the public. A law passed in June 2021 provides anonymity for any lottery prize of $1 million or more in Maine if requested by the winner.
To claim a jackpot prize anonymously in Maine, the steps would be:
- Sign the winning ticket with your name.
- Put the signed ticket in a safety deposit box or secure location.
- Seek legal counsel to create an anonymous LLC or trust.
- Have a lawyer claim the ticket on behalf of the LLC or trust.
- Lottery only cuts a check to the entity, not your real name.
This process ensures complete confidentiality. The public sees the winner as something like “Happy Unicorn Trust” rather than your real identity. You can enjoy the jackpot out of the spotlight.
The LLC method has been used successfully in other states like South Carolina and Kansas to claim prizes anonymously. With the new law in place, the Maine winner can undoubtedly do the same.
Lottery Post legal analyst Todd Polen predicts the Maine winner will pursue anonymity and says it would be “foolish to give up that right.” He expects whoever won will end up using a blind trust to claim the prize and keep their identity private.
Conclusions
In summary, the $1.35 billion Mega Millions jackpot won on July 29, 2022 in Maine remains unclaimed over 3 months later. This massive prize marks the first Mega Millions jackpot ticket ever sold in the state. The winning ticket was purchased at Hometown Gas & Grill in Lebanon, ME.
The winner has until next July 29, 2023 to claim the prize under Mega Millions rules. They will have the choice between taking the lump sum cash payout of $723.5 million or receiving the full $1.35 billion through annual annuity payments over 30 years.
Maine law allows jackpot winners to remain completely anonymous when claiming prizes over $1 million. Experts predict the Maine ticket holder will use an anonymous entity or blind trust to claim their billion dollar reward while shielding their real identity.
When and where the Maine winner will officially come forward is still unknown. But this fortunate ticket holder now has plenty of time to carefully plan their next steps and assemble a team of advisors to prudently handle their instant megafortune. Their $1.35 billion windfall will certainly be life-changing as the state sees its first Mega Millions jackpot victor!