The Maine Lottery said the winner chose to remain anonymous at their request. He also did not agree to receive the full amount in payments over time.

“The winner thought about how best to use what is sure to be a life-changing prize,” his lawyer said in a statement. By choosing the cash option, he receives a lump sum payment.

He will collect the prize money through two limited liability companies. “It would amount to 723,564,144 US dollars (16.3 billion CZK) before taxes,” he added.

The jackpot winner had the option of claiming the money personally with the winning ticket, or sending an attorney and remaining anonymous.

The bookmaker confirmed his winning ticket after a representative brought it to the company’s headquarters in Augusta, Maine, on Friday.

“The money will be transferred by the end of the week,” said Michael Boardman, office representative for lottery operations. “If the winner chooses to take the full amount, there will be 30 payments over the course of 29 years,” Boardman added.

“I can totally understand why someone with such a win would want to remain anonymous. We wish him well and hope he does good things with them.”

The seller also got his way

The winning ticket in the drawing on Friday, January 13th was purchased by a Hometown Gas & Grill outlet in Lebanon, Maine. It is located on a busy highway near the New Hampshire border.

Fred Cotro, the business owner, said he had no idea who sold the winning ticket. who do you know Sometimes people come to the store and say thank you, but I won’t lose sleep over it, ”said the operator.

He and his staff split half of the $50,000 (1.1 million CZK) proceeds from the sale of the winning ticket.

“By accepting the cash payment, the winner will receive more than $498 million (CZK 11.2 billion) after taxes,” Boardman said.

He said taxes worth $173.6 million (3.9 billion CZK) will go to the federal government and $51 million (1.1 billion CZK) to the state. “The limited liability company that will receive the money has been established outside Maine,” he added.

The jackpot winner won at odds of 1:302.6 million and is the first Maine Mega Millions jackpot winner. Money is played in 45 states of the United States of America, in D.C. and the US Virgin Islands.