$1.35 Billion Mega Millions Jackpot Winner in Maine Finally Comes Forward to Claim Massive Prize

The Mega Millions winner in Maine who won the massive $1.35 billion jackpot last month has finally come forward to collect the prize.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the Maine Lottery Association said the January 13 Mega Millions winner, whose identity remains a secret, came forward through a third-party investment company.

According to PEOPLE, the winner claimed the fourth largest in U.S. history through the newly formed limited liability company LaKoma Island Investments, LLC to limit their public exposure. In a statement, the winner's representative noted that the lucky person was "thoughtfully considering the best uses of the life-changing prize."

The Mega Millions winning ticket was sold at the Hometown Gas & Grill convenience store in Lebanon at York County, Maine. The gas station received a $50,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket.

Michael Boardman, deputy director of the Maine Bureau of Alcoholic Beverages & Lottery Operation, told the Associated Press the jackpot ticket was validated after the winner's representative came to Augusta's lottery headquarters Friday.

"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," Boardman told the outlet. After choosing a one-time, lump-sum payment, the winner will reportedly receive $723.6 million before taxes.

But after taxes, Boardman noted that the winner will get more than $498 million, as $173.6 million will go to the federal government and $51 million to the state. It was Maine's first Mega Millions jackpot winner and the second-highest in the game's history.

The largest Mega Millions jackpot was worth $1.5 billion, which was won in 2018 by a ticket holder in South Carolina. The winner decided to take home the lump sum of $877,784,124 before taxes.

Winner of the $1.35 Billion Mega Millions Jackpot Uses Investment Vehicle to Remain Anonymous

Maine Lottery Commission Spokesperson Sharon Huntley previously said that while some states allow lottery winners to remain anonymous, Maine is not one of them.

Huntley noted that the identity of a Mega Millions winner in Maine will become public knowledge once the prize is claimed. However, she said it is still possible to keep the real identification of the winner under wraps as a legal entity can also claim the grand prize.

This is the route the $1.35 billion Mega Millions winner chose. According to Casino.org, the owners or key officials of LLCs in many states are part of the public record.

However, when the outlet searched the Maine Secretary of State's online corporation database, the LaKoma Island Investments did not appear as listed entities.

Citing Maine's Bureau of Corporations website, the outlet said newly formed corporations take as long as 35 business days to be processed. It added that the LLC's clerk or registered agent, usually a financial advisor or lawyer, will become public knowledge after LaKoma is included in the database.

Tips to Increase Chances of Winning the Mega Millions Jackpot

There is always a highly slim chance of winning the Mega Millions jackpot. However, there are several strategies that may slightly increase your chances of winning, like making a lottery pool with other people.

It can also inject more fun into the lottery and increase your chances of winning by combining your resources and agreeing to split any jackpot. Another piece of advice is to pick unpopular numbers. Picking numbers that people usually do not go for could increase your chances of becoming the sole winner.

Fox News reported that lottery players can also increase their overall chances of winning by purchasing more tickets. The outlet added that a lottery player should go after smaller jackpots as the "bigger the jackpot, the lower your chances of hitting it."

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

WATCH: $1.35 Billion Mega Millions Jackpot Winner in Maine Claims Prize - From CBS Boston