6 Things About Lebanon, Maine, Where the $1.35B Lottery Ticket Winner Was Sold
If someone asked you to name a Maine city or town on the spot, you'd probably think of the likes of Portland, Bangor, or Augusta. It'd probably be pretty rare for someone to shout out a place like Lebanon, right?
Well, the southern Maine location certainly found itself in the spotlight after a billion-dollar lottery ticket was sold in the town in 2023. As of 2026, it remains the largest amount won in the state.
But if you've never been to Lebanon, you probably don't know much about it. Thankfully, we have you covered with a few things you should know.
Where is Lebanon, Maine, located?
Lebanon is located in York County in Maine. It's about an hour from Portland, Maine, and very close to the New Hampshire border.
How many people live in Lebanon, Maine?
According to the town website, the 2010 census lists Lebanon as only having 6,031 people. According to census.gov, the population estimate as of July 2025 is 6,801. For comparison, the Census Bureau estimates that over 69,000 people live in the city of Portland.
When did Lebanon, Maine, become a town?
According to the town website, it became Maine's 23rd town on June 17, 1767. Britannica states that Maine's first town, also in York County, was Kittery, established in 1647 and originally named Piscataqua Plantation.
A $1.35 billion lottery ticket winner was sold in Lebanon, Maine
According to the Maine Lottery, the winning $1.35 billion Mega Millions ticket was purchased at the Hometown Gas & Grill in Lebanon, Maine.
It would be one month later, on February 22, that the winner would come forward "to accept their winnings through the limited liability company LaKoma Island Investments, LLC," the Maine Lottery stated.
This $1.35 billion prize is the ninth-highest lottery jackpot winnings of all time, according to the New York Times, and it is the largest amount won in New England. (In 2023, it was the fourth-highest lottery jackpot winning of all time.)
Oh, and crazy coincidence: in 2024, just a year after the big win, someone else won $1 million from the same location. Wild, huh?
Lebanon, Maine, has a Guinness World Record
Ever heard of a dust devil?
According to the National Weather Service, they are "dust-filled vortices, created by strong surface heating, [and] are generally smaller and less intense than a tornado." Additionally, the weather service states that they are most common in desert regions.
So it seems pretty surprising that Lebanon is the location for the deadliest dust devil, according to Guinness World Records. Only one of two recorded incidents, the Lebanon dust devil caused a house to collapse in 2003, which unfortunately killed a person.
Are there any famous people from Lebanon, Maine?
While there are a number of celebrities with ties to Maine, Lebanon does have its own notable person. According to the Lake Winnipesaukee Museum, Oren B. Cheney, the founder of Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, also founded "the Lebanon Academy in Lebanon, Maine in 1850."
And technically, that billion-dollar winner is pretty famous, too, right?
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