The first Millionaire for Life winner wants to stay anonymous

Ohio has the first Millionaire for Life winner, and they're keeping it quiet.

On April 27, 2026, a ticket purchased at Giant Eagle #1263 on Edgecliff Ave. in Cleveland matched all five winning numbers, 4, 15, 19, 21, and 31, plus the Millionaire Ball of 4. The prize was a cool $1 million a year for life.

This was the first time this happened.

The winning ticket was claimed by The Angel Trust, represented by attorney Alan S. Levine. The winner took the one-time cash option of $18 million. After federal and state taxes of 26.75%, the trust walked away with $13,185,000.

Off to the races

Millionaire for Life launched on February 22, 2026. It replaced two longtime multi-state draw games: Lucky for Life and Cash4Life. The pitch was simple: steady, long-term payouts instead of a single lump-sum jackpot.

Most lottery players chase nine-figure jackpots in Powerball or Mega Millions. But what if you could win a guaranteed income for the rest of your life? That's the game Millionaire for Life is selling, and someone in Cleveland just bought in.

This is the game's first top prize win since launch. It didn't take long.

The payout choice

When a top prize is claimed, winners face a fork in the road. Take $1 million a year for life, with a minimum guarantee of 20 years, or accept a lump-sum cash payment. In this case, the cash option was $10 million.

The winner chose the cash. After taxes, they netted $7,325,000.

Why claim through a trust?

The Angel Trust claimed this prize, not a named individual. That's a deliberate legal move, and it's increasingly common among large lottery winners. Why? Privacy, protection, and control.

A lottery trust is a legal structure that hides a winner's identity from the public. It also protects newfound wealth from creditors and unwanted scrutiny. When multiple people share a winning ticket, a trust can manage distributions cleanly.

There are two main types: a revocable living trust, which the winner can modify, and an irrevocable trust, which offers stronger protection but less flexibility.

How anonymous claiming works in Ohio

Ohio's process for anonymous lottery claims through a trust involves two layers.

First, the winner establishes a revocable trust, called the Custodial Trust, where they serve as both grantor and beneficiary. The winning ticket is assigned to this trust's trustee.

From there, the Custodial Trust creates a second structure: the Passive Trust. The ticket is then transferred again, this time to the Passive Trust's trustee. In practice, the same person serves as trustee for both.

The Ohio Lottery Commission provides a standardized form for the Passive Trust. Its sole purpose is to claim the prize. Once the claim is processed, the Ohio Lottery issues the check directly to the Passive Trust. The trustee then moves the funds into the Custodial Trust, where the winner privately controls the money.

Critically, both trusts must carry neutral names. Nothing that points back to the winner.