History of the Maine State Lottery
The idea of starting a lottery operation in Maine was first championed by Rep. Arthur Genest of Waterville. In 1973, Genest sponsored a bill to introduce a lottery in Maine. When the public was asked to vote in 1973, the answer was a resounding “yes,” and the Lottery began operations in 1974.
Governor Kenneth M. Curtis drew the first lottery numbers on June 27, 1974. The numbers were printed on large rubber balls and drawn from a gumball machine. Ivan Lazure of Lewiston was the first winner, with a $20 prize.
Profits from the Maine State Lottery are transferred to the State’s General Fund which support many programs and services for the citizens of the State of Maine.
| 1974 | ||
|---|---|---|
| February |  |
Christo Anton was appointed the first Director of the Maine State Lottery |
| June | |
Ticket sales begin for a 50-cent weekly draw game called “Play Me” The first draw is held on June 27, 1974 |
| October | |
Joseph Comeau of Bangor was the first jackpot winner for the weekly “Play Me” game with a prize of $150,000 |
| 1975 | ||
| February | |
George Orestis was appointed the Director of the Maine State Lottery The weekly game “Downeast Sweepstakes” begins |
| March | |
Burpee Pond of Naples wins $150,000 as the first winner for the weekly game “Downeast Sweepstakes” |
| June | |
The first instant ticket, the “Great Outdoors,” is released |
| August 2 | |
Patricia James of Augusta was the winner of $500,000 prize from the “Great Outdoors” instant ticket |
| 1979 | ||
| February | |
Richard J. Carey was appointed Director of the Maine State Lottery |
| 1980 | ||
| June | |
“Pick 3 Daily Numbers” game debuts |
| August | |
First $1,000,000 winner from the “Maine Event Game” was William Emhoff of Wellington. |
| 1985 | ||
| April | |
First multi-state lottery is approved among Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont to create the Tri-State Lotto Compact
Tri-State Lotto Commission consist of a 3 members; one each state. The first commission members were William Varney from Maine; John Marro from New Hampshire and Sarah Vail from Vermont |
| July | |
“Pick 4 Daily Numbers” game is added |
| September | |
First Tri-State “Megabucks” game ticket was sold to New Hampshire’s Governor John Sununu Tri-State “Megabucks” starts Saturday draw with a pick 6-of-30 matrix First Tri-State “Megabucks” jackpot winner is Richard Campbell of South Portland, Maine who wins $935,919 |
| 1986 | ||
| January | |
Tri-State “Megabucks” game is changed from a pick 6-of-30 to a pick 6-of-36 matrix |
| October | |
H. Alan Timm was appointed Director of the Maine State Lottery |
| 1987 | ||
| June | |
Wallace G. Soule Jr. was appointed Director of the Maine State Lottery |
| 1988 | ||
| January | |
Tri-State “Megabucks” game is changed from a pick 6-of-36 to a pick 6-of-40 matrix |
| 1990 | ||
| May | |
Tri-State “Megabucks” adds a Wednesday drawing |
| July | |
Maine joins the multi-state draw game “Lotto America” with a pick 6-of-54 matrix on Wednesday and Saturday |
| 1991 | ||
| February | |
Peter Finlay of Cape Elizabeth was the first Maine winner for the “Lotto America” game with a winning jackpot of $3.1 million |
| 1992 | ||
| April | |
Tri-State “Cash 5” begins with a pick 5-of-35 matrix on Tuesdays |
| July | |
Maine Legislature decides to merge the state's liquor and lottery operations into one administrative agency to be called the Bureau of Alcoholic Beverages and Lottery Operations (BABLO) David S. Campbell was appointed first Director of BABLO |
| 1993 | ||
| Completion of the merger takes place by combining the Liquor Commission and the Lottery Commission into a single 5 member commission whose members are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Legislature | ||
| March | |
Maine State Lottery becomes the first lottery to print its instant tickets on completely recyclable and biodegradable paper while still meeting all established security standards |
| 1994 | ||
| January | |
First $2 Bingo Instant Ticket is released |
| 1995 | ||
| June | |
Tri-State “5 Card Cash” game begins and adds a Friday draw |
| April | |
Eben B. Marsh was appointed Director of BABLO |
| 1996 | ||
| January | |
Outdoor Heritage Instant Ticket is released with profits dedicated to help protect Maine's environment |
| June | |
Tri-State “Megabucks” adds a cash option |
| November | |
First $3 Instant Ticket “Christmas Bonus” is released |
| 1997 | ||
| March | |
Tri-State “Megabucks” changes matrix from a pick 6-of-40 to a pick 6-of-42 and adds a bonus number |
| September | |
Tri-State “WinCash” game begins |
| December | |
First $5 instant ticket “Celebrate '98” is released |
| 1998 | ||
| June | |
Pick3/ Pick4 Daily Numbers games go to seven draws a week |
| September | |
Pick 3/ Pick 4 Daily Numbers games add Front Pair/ Back Pair play option |
| 2002 | ||
| February | |
Tri-State “Cash Lotto” game begins |
| 2003 | ||
| April | |
First $10 instant ticket “$250,000 Cash Spectacular” is released |
| June | |
“Pick 3/ Pick 4 Daily Numbers” games add a mid day draw |
| November | |
Tri-State “Heads Or Tails” game begins with a draw 7 days a week |
| 2004 | ||
| June | |
Maine Lottery celebrates 30th Anniversary |
| July | |
Maine joins the multi-state draw game called “Powerball” |
| 2005 | ||
| January | |
Dan A. Gwadosky was appointed Director of BABLO |
| August | |
“Powerball” draw game is changed from pick 5 of 53 +1 of 42 to a pick 5 of 55 +1 of 42 |
| September | |
First $20 Instant Ticket “2,500,000 Extravaganza” is released |
| October | |
First “1,000,000 Instant Winner” drawing is held |
| 2006 | ||
| May | |
Tri-State “Add-A-Play” game begins as the first game with an instant win feature |
| June | |
Boston Red Sox Instant Ticket is released with 2nd chance drawings for game day tickets |
| 2007 | ||
| January | |
Tri-State “Paycheck” game begins |
| November | |
First Tri-State $20 New Year Millionaire Raffle ticket is released |
| 2008 | ||
| April | |
$2,250,000 Extravaganza Instant Winner drawing is held |
| 2009 | ||
| January | |
Tri-State “Weekly Grand” game begins and offers a top jackpot of $1000 a week for 20 years “Powerball” game changes from pick 5 of 55 + 1 of 42 to a pick 5 of 59 + 1 of 39 |
| July | |
Tri-State “Megabucks Plus” game begins |
| August | |
Maine Lottery enters social media field with Facebook and Twitter accounts |
| October | |
Maine joins the multi-state draw game called “Hot Lotto” along with 14 other states |
| November | |
Pick 3 / Pick 4 Daily Numbers games add a “Single Digit” play option |
| 2010 | ||
| May | |
Maine joins the multi-state draw game called “Mega Millions” |
| June | |
Maine State Lottery completes the transfer of a record $52.2 million to the State’s General Fund Maine Lottery celebrates 35th Anniversary |
| July | |
New England Patriots Instant Ticket is released with 2nd chance drawings for game day tickets and seasons tickets for the 2011 regular season along with instant win cash prizes |
| October | |
Maine State Lottery surpasses the $1 billion mark in transfers to the State’s General Fund |
| 2011 | ||
| October | |
Maine releases it’s first $1,000,000 instant win on a $20 instant ticket game called “Maine Millionaire” |
| 2012 | ||
| February | |
Gerald T. Reid appointed Director, Bureau of Alcoholic Beverages & Lottery Operations |
| March | |
Maine joins New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut in launching the first New England Regional game called “Lucky for Life”. Top prize is a $1,000 a day for life. Largest Mega Millions jackpot of $656 million hit |
| 2013 | ||
| May | |
Tri-State Lotto launches new draw game called "Gimme 5" with top prize of $100,000 Largest Powerball jackpot of $590.5 million hit |
| October | |
"Mega Millions" game changes from pick 1 of 56+1 to 46 to pick 5 of 75+1 of 15 |
| 2014 | ||
| January | |
Power Play added to Powerball giving players a chance to multiply their winnings up to five times |
| May | |
Gregg Mineo appointed Director, Bureau of Alocoholic Beverages & Lottery Operations |
| June | |
Maine Lottery celebrates 40 years of providing profits for the State of Maine |
| August | |
New logo is introduced |
| October | |
Maine Lottery celebrates 40th Anniversary event Maine introduces Monopoly Millionaires' Club, a multi-state lottery game based on the Monopoly board game |
| December | |
Maine introduces $40,000,000 FORTUNE, the first $25 instant ticket in the state |
| 2015 | ||
| January | |
Lucky for Life expands to include 14 states and undergoes a game change from pick 5 of 43 + 1 of 43 to 5 of 48 + 1 of 18 |
| April | |
The Boston Red Sox⊗ instant ticket now features the image of David Ortiz. Maine is the first lottery in the nation with the image of a current sports athlete on an instant ticket |
| May | |
$2,000,000 Powerball ticket sold in Bath |
| June | |
Lottery celebrates record year with a contribution of $54 million to the Maine General Fund on total sales of $253 million. $165.1 million is awarded in winnings to players, and $16.7 million is paid to retailers in commissions. In addition, $647,458 is transferred to the Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund |
| July | |
$3,000,000 Mega Millions ticket sold in Woolwich Lucky for Life has a $25,000 A Year for Life ticket sold in Portland |
| October | |
Powerball game changes from pick 1 of 59 + 1 of 35 to a pick 1 of 69 + 1 of 26 |
| November | |
Rewards based program called RewardME Loyalty Club launches |
| December | |
$1.1 million Hot Lotto ticket sold in York |
| 2016 | ||
| January | |
Record setting Powerball jackpot of $1.586 billion held |
| June | |
Lottery celebrates record year with a contribution of $57 million to the Maine General Fun on total sales of $272.3 million. $178.2 million is awarded in winnings to players, and $18.1 million is paid to retailers in commissions. In addition, more than $600,000 is transferred to the Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund |
| August | |
World Poker Tour Featuring ALL IN launches |
