BY Elizabeth Delaney, The Western JournalJanuary 16, 2023
2 years ago
BY 
 | January 16, 2023
2 years ago

We Have a Winner: Historic $1.35B Jackpot Goes to 1 Ticket

Someone in the state of Maine matched all five numbers as well as the Mega Ball to win a massive Mega Millions jackpot on Friday night, the multistate lottery consortium said in a news release Saturday.

The winning numbers in the $1.35 billion drawing were 30, 43, 45, 46, 61 and Mega Ball 14.

The name of the winner was not released as of Monday morning.

The winner will have the option of taking the $1.35 billion grand prize -- the second-largest jackpot in the history of the game -- with annual payments over the course of 29 years, or choosing the cash option payout, according to the New York Post.

In this case, the cash option payout is approximately $724.6 million.

The winning ticket was sold at Hometown Gas & Grill in Lebanon, Maine, according to the release.

A post on the business' Facebook page expressed excitement about the news.

"Hey everyone. Lebanon is in the news (for good reasons). Thanks for all the support from our customers. We are anxiously waiting to see if it is someone we see regularly here in town that won a whopping 1.3 BILLION DOLLARS," owner Fred Cotreau said.

Cotreau told CNN that Lebanon is a small rural town, and if the person who won is a local resident, it will be "really good news for somebody."

[firefly_poll]

“It’s almost incomprehensible to wrap your head around how much it would change somebody’s life, regardless of your status and where you are, to get that kind of pay out,” he said.

Cotreau went on to say that prior to Friday, the only winning lottery ticket sold at Hometown Gas & Grill was for $1,000.

The amount of taxes the winner will have to pay after such a win is mind-boggling, whether the person chooses to take the annual payments or a lump sum.

"Nearly a quarter of the prize money is automatically withheld in federal income tax by the IRS, cutting a lump sum by nearly $174 million, to roughly $550 million," Forbes reported.

The winner will encounter a federal marginal income tax rate of up to 37 percent.

According to Kiplinger, if the annual payments are chosen, the federal taxes will be roughly $16.65 million for the first three years.

After that, the annual taxes would be approximately $17.82 million per year over the remaining years.

If the winner chooses to take the lump sum payment of $724.6 million, the taxes will be roughly $268.1 million for 2023.

On top of all that, state taxes will have to be paid. If the winner is a resident of Maine, that will be 7.15 percent of the winnings.

While the prospect of winning millions of dollars is enticing, the odds of claiming Friday's jackpot were about 1 in 302.6 million, according to Fortune.

For those who struggle to resist the appeal of the lottery in spite of the astronomical odds against winning, Mega Millions suggests contacting the National Council on Problem Gambling or Gamblers Anonymous.

CORRECTION, Jan. 16, 2023: The cash option payout for the Mega Millions jackpot is approximately $724.6 million. An earlier version of this article included a different amount.

This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.

Written by: Elizabeth Delaney, The Western Journal

NATIONAL NEWS

SEE ALL

Tennessee Lawmaker Seeks Impeachment Of Vice President Harris

According to The Hill, Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) has officially filed impeachment articles against Vice President Kamala Harris. These charges accuse Harris of incompetently managing…
7 hours ago
 • By Benjamin Clark

Shooting At Trump Rally Leaves One Dead, Two Injured

In a shocking incident, a gunman opened fire at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, leaving former President Donald Trump wounded and two others severely injured.…
7 hours ago
 • By Benjamin Clark

Clint Eastwood's Longtime Partner Christina Sandera Dies At 61

Christina Sandera, the longtime partner of Hollywood icon Clint Eastwood, passed away at the age of 61 due to natural causes related to heart disease…
8 hours ago
 • By Benjamin Clark

Ella Emhoff: Rising Figure in Fashion and Activism Amidst Political Turmoil

Ella Emhoff, Kamala Harris's stepdaughter, has stirred considerable public interest with her candid endorsements and personal expressions intertwined with major US political dynamics. According to…
8 hours ago
 • By Benjamin Clark

New York Confronts Missouri’s Supreme Court Plea In Trump’s Hush Money Case

CNN reported that New York Attorney General Letitia James strongly opposed Missouri's petition to the Supreme Court concerning President Donald Trump's hush money case. Missouri…
8 hours ago
 • By Benjamin Clark

DON'T WAIT.

We publish the objective news, period. If you want the facts, then sign up below and join our movement for objective news:

    LATEST NEWS

    Newsletter

    Get news from American Digest in your inbox.

      By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: American Digest, 3000 S. Hulen Street, Ste 124 #1064, Fort Worth, TX, 76109, US, http://americandigest.com. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact.
      Christian News Alerts is a conservative Christian publication. Share our articles to help spread the word.
      © 2024 - CHRISTIAN NEWS ALERTS - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
      magnifier