Maine Store That Sold $1.35 Billion Lottery Ticket Plans to Share $50K With Employees
Editor's note: This article was written by a Townsquare Media Northern New England contributor and may contain the individual's views, opinions, or personal experiences.
The little town of Lebanon, Maine, has been around since 1767. Unless you hail from Southern Maine or New Hampshire, there's a good chance you've never heard of this modest New England town. But last month, the whole world was buzzing about Lebanon, Maine. Why? Because someone bought a lottery ticket from Hometown Gas & Grill that was worth $1.3 billion dollars. Imagine becoming Elon Musk rich overnight? Well, this wasn't quite that much money. But it is a life-changing amount nonetheless.
Not only is exciting for the person who is now $1.3 billion dollars richer, but it's exciting for the entire community. Photos of Hometown Gas & Grill circulated on national TV and the internet for weeks. It's always thrilling to have places you know and love receive national recognition for a good reason. I wouldn't be surprised if people started flocking to this little Lebanon gas station in the hopes that some lucky juju was left behind from the previous winner. You never know, right?
On February 8, 2023, The Maine State Lottery presented a $50,000 check to Fred Cotreau, the owner of Hometown Gas & Grill, in Lebanon, Maine, as a reward for selling the winning ticket. Want to know the best part? Fred plans to share the $50,000 with his entire staff. It's not just a win for him as the owner, it's a win for the whole Hometown Gas & Grill team. Doesn't that hit you square in the feels?
At the point of writing this article, no one has come forward to claim the prize! They have one year to do so. Fred, the owner, is really hoping it is someone local to Lebanon, Maine. With an amount this high, it would not be surprising if the winner sent a representative (like a trust) in to claim the money on their behalf. This is the fourth-largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history.
The winning numbers were 30-43-45-46-61 Mega Ball 14.