The Maine Lottery, a
member of the Multi-State Lottery Association was started in 1974 by Maine
voters in a statewide referendum. Since 1974, the Maine Lottery has generated
more than $7.2 billion in sales revenues, $4.5 billion in prize money and $490
million in commissions and bonuses to our network of lottery retail agents.
Back in 2004, Maine added Powerball and in 2009 with the optional Powerplay,
Maine joined Hot Lotto and on May 9, 2010, Maine joined the
multi-jurisdictional jackpot game, Mega Millions with the optional Megaplier and on March 3, 2012, Maine joined Lucky for Life. Overtime the State of Maine
added more draw games including Tri State Megabucks Plus, Lucky for Life, Gimme
5, Tri-State Pick 3 and Pick 4, World Poker Tour and instant lottery
tickets.
Maine is a state that gives
back. Every year, millions of dollars are returned to lottery players in prize
money that benefit local businesses who receive millions in commissions and
bonuses for selling lottery games; and programs and services supported by the
State’s General Fund receive over $50 million.
According to the Bureau
of Alcoholic Beverages and Lottery Operations, the Maine Lottery transfer 71.4 million to the General Fund and In FY22,
the Lottery transferred $741,928 to Maine’s Outdoor Heritage Fund, an increase
of 57% over the prior year. Since the Heritage Fund’s inception in 1996, the
Lottery has transferred more than $22.9 million to the fund that supports
important wildlife conservation programs in Maine.
For prizes under $600,
you can claim it at any Maine State Lottery retail agent location.
To claim a prize of
$600 or more, you either clam it in person, through the mail or in person at a
Lottery retail Agent Location. Be sure to make a copy of the front and back of
the signed ticket and the completed claim form for your records.
1. In-person – Bring your signed winning ticket
to the Lottery office in Augusta, Maine to claim your prize. You will need to
present a valid form of a government issued identification card.
2. By Mail or Courier – Complete this claim
form as well as the back of the ticket. You should make a copy of the front and
back of the signed ticket, (the claim receipt from option C below, if
applicable) and the completed claim form for your records. Please staple the
winning ticket to the completed form and mail to the Lottery office. We
strongly urge you to send winning tickets by certified or express mail or by
other means to track your winning ticket delivery to the Maine State Lottery
3. In person at a Lottery Retail Agent location
– Bring your winning ticket to any location where lottery tickets are sold. The
Lottery Retail Agent will validate your ticket and the lottery system will
indicate that you must file a claim at the “Lottery Headquarters”.
4. For a group claiming a prize
If a group of persons
is claiming a winning ticket, each person in the group must complete a claim
form. When submitting a winning ticket for claiming as a group, please also
indicate how the prize will be divided among the winners. Each winner will
receive a check and each person will receive a W-2G tax form at the end of the
year for their share of the prize.
Unfortunately, you
cannot remain anonymous if you win the lottery in Maine.
Yes, the 1.35-billion-dollar Mega Millions Jackpot was sold in the small town of Lebanon, Maine. Someone matched all the winning numbers on 01/13/23 but has yet come forward to claim the lottery prize. The store that sold the ticket was Hometown Gas & Grill, on Carl Broggie Highway. The owner of Hometown Gas & Grill does not know who the lucky winner is. The southern Maine town borders New Hampshire, near Portsmouth, and has about 6,500 residents.
The lottery proceeds
from the sale of lottery tickets go to
the programs and services supported by Maine’s General Fund, which support many
programs and services for the citizens of Maine.
If you lose a winning
ticket, then you are out of luck. The
Maine State Lottery is not responsible for lost or stolen tickets. Once you get
your ticket, protect yourself by signing the back of the ticket and keeping
your ticket in a safe and secure location.
Lottery tickets are bearer instruments; therefore, without a name and
address on the back of the ticket, anyone in possession of the ticket can file
a claim.
Yes, you can buy
Powerball, Megabucks Plus, Lotto America and Mega Millions tickets for up to 20
consecutive drawings. Pick 3 and Pick 4 tickets may be purchased for up to 21
consecutive days.
Lottery players have up
to 1 year from the draw date to claim your price for the following games Powerball, Megabucks Plus, Lotto America,
Mega Millions, pick 3 and Pick 4. For instant ticket games, the last date to
claim varies by each game, however, it is always one year from the date the
ticket is removed from the selling inventory of the Maine State Lottery.
Unfortunately, you
cannot play the ME lottery through the internet or by mail. The Maine State Lottery
does not currently offer internet-based lottery games because of the Wire
Communications Act of 1961 prohibits all internet-based gaming or just sports
betting.
Yes, a non- U.S
resident can play the lottery in Maine however, U.S. federal law prohibits
transporting lottery ticket across the U.S. border. A non-U.S. resident who
wins a prize of $600 and over is subject to 30% federal tax and 5% state tax
withholding. Every year in January, the Maine State Lottery will issue to a
winner of this prize level IRS form 1042-S, Foreign Person's U.S. Source
Income, detailing prize payment and taxes withheld.
You have two options to choose from for your prize payment. You may choose the “Cash Option” which allows you to receive one lump sum payment, or you may choose the “Annuity Option” and receive annual payments overtime. We suggest that you consult with lawyer and a finance professional before you make your decision.
You must be 18 years of
age or older to play and redeem lottery tickets in the state of Maine.
The remaining annual
payments will be made to the estate of the deceased.
The Maine State Lottery
withholds Federal and State taxes at 24% and 7.15% respectively on prizes over
$5000.
You must report the
entire amount of your gambling winnings for the year that you won on IRS Form
1040 to deduct gambling losses. You deduct your gambling losses for the year on
Schedule A (Form 1040). You cannot deduct gambling losses that are more than
your winnings. For example, if you won 40K and lost 50K, you could only deduct
40K.
Bureau of Alcoholic
Beverages and Lottery Operations
8 State House Station
Augusta, Maine
04333-0008
Lottery Headquarters
19 Union St
3rd Floor
Augusta, ME 04330
Directions and Map
By Telephone or Email:
Toll free in Maine:
(800) 452-8777
Non toll free: (207)
287-3721
RewardME lottery club
help line: 1-800-201-0108
You can purchase ME
lottery tickets at gas station, convenience stores and large chain grocery
chains throughout the state
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