Friday the 13th is usually thought to be unlucky, but that certainly wasn't the case for one lottery player earlier this year. After three months of Mega Millions draws failing to produce a winner, it was announced on 13 January that a single ticket holder had the winning numbers.
Following a number of rollovers, the Mega Millions jackpot had grown to the staggering sum of $1.35 billion, making it the fourth-biggest prize in US lottery history.
For the first time, the winning Mega Millions ticket was purchased in Maine, having been sold at Hometown Gas & Grill (pictured) in the town of Lebanon. Fred Cotreau, the owner, told CNN that he thought the call from the lottery office was a scam at first: "It’s almost incomprehensible to wrap your head around how much it would change somebody’s life, regardless of your status and where you are, to get that kind of payout."
The lucky winner came forward via a limited company, which meant their identity didn't need to be revealed. They chose the lump sum option, meaning they'll get $723.6 million before taxes. Fred Cotreau and Hometown Gas & Grill get $50,000 for selling the winning ticket, which he reportedly split among employees.