Las Vegas Winner Claims $1.35 Billion Mega Millions Jackpot! Sorta.
There is no state lottery in Nevada, which we’ve explained our frustrations about before. What Nevada DOES have, however, is a very quick and easy process to open an LLC. That’s what the winner of the $1.35 Billion Mega Millions Jackpot for the January 13th drawing just did.
The fourth largest winning lottery ticket was sold in Lebanon, Maine, near the New Hampshire border. The ticket was purchased at the Hometown Gas & Grill and the owner didn’t have a clue who the winner could be. Fast forward a little more than a month, and we still don’t know who the winner is. But we do know how the winner is taking the money: anonymously.
Maine State Lottery officials announced the winner incorporated a limited liability company (LaKoma Island Investments LLC) in Las Vegas that will receive the money. A legal representative went to the state lottery and validated the ticket. The winner chose to take the lump sum of $723,564,144… which is before taxes. After taxes to the state and feds, the winner only receives just shy of $500,000,000. Less than 37% of their win. A life changing amount of money, but still, gross.
We do know some people that benefitted from the jackpot. Hometown Gas & Grill received a $50,000 check for selling the lucky ticket on unlucky Friday the 13th. Owner Fred Cotreau took half of that check and gave his employees a nice bonus.
The Mega Millions winner doesn’t have to be named?
For the winner, it’s fortunate that he or she was allowed to remain anonymous. Some states like California require you to come forward with your name which leads to the inevitable barrage of unwanted phone calls, mail and house visits asking for cash.
So congrats to this Las Vegas (but not really) winner of Mega Millions. Hopefully they decide to come to town and visit their LLC. Leave a couple bucks in a machine while you’re at it.
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