The finalists for Powerball’s First Millionaire of the Year promotion have been selected, and this New Year’s Eve is going to be a big year for one of them.
The finalists for Powerball’s “First Millionaire of the Year” promotion have been selected, and this New Year’s Eve is going to be a big year for someone. If you haven't heard, keep reading. This exciting, NYE promotion is just another reason to love Powerball and its exciting opportunities to win life-changing prizes.
About the 'First Millionaire of the Year'
The drawing began five years ago as a consolation Powerball promotion for avid players. Known as the Second Chance Drawing, it encourages players to submit their non-winning tickets into the drawing for another chance to win the big Powerball prize. Powerball teamed up with Dick Clark Productions for a New Year's Eve midnight drawing Powerball style, with each state finalist having its own Powerball in the running. The balls dance around the machine until the selected winner is injected into the tube and out the top of the machine. The lone winner would win $1M and be named the "First Millionaire of the Year."
Participating States
A total of 23 states will participate in this year’s "First Millionaire of the Year" drawing. A percentage of the $1M New Year's prize will be remitted back to the winner’s home state’s Lottery program. Participating states for this year's drawing include:
- Arizona
- Delaware
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Minnesota
- Nebraska
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- New Mexico
- New York
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Virgin Islands
- Washington DC
Throughout the year, contests and promotions are run in conjunction with the Second Chance Drawing, with each state offering its own twist on the promotion.
How to Become Eligible
Eligibility to enter the "First Millionaire of the Year" drawing is similar to playing Powerball in regular play. Participants must be of legal age to purchase a ticket, and the non-winning tickets must be submitted to the Second Chance Drawing. The tickets must also be purchased and submitted as a Second Chance Entry in the same state. Each state lottery website has rules and policies posted that may differ from state to state. And many states have a blank entry built into the ticket, so it can be filled out and submitted via US Mail or uploaded to the respective website.
Entries are whittled down to five finalists from different participating states. Those finalists are then given the good news that they are going to join in the New Year’s Eve celebration in Times Square, New York City. The experience is truly VIP. And each of the finalists is treated to a once-in-a-lifetime glimpse of Times Square on New Year's Eve that only celebrities usually get to enjoy. One of these VIPs will be crowned the “First Millionaire of the Year” at the stroke of midnight. There is just as big of a celebration inside the Powerball “First Millionaire of the Year” booth as there is below in Times Square at the stroke of midnight.
The Excitement of the Drawing
There truly are two ball drops on New Year's Eve in Times Square: the big sparkly ball that’s perched way up high and the Powerball "First Millionaire of the Year" ball. This New Year's Eve will be a night to remember for the five finalists chosen. And this year’s Powerball promotion finalists include past 2023 players from Rhode Island, Idaho, North Carolina, New York, and Georgia.
Whenever you play Powerball, check to see if your state participates in the "First Millionaire of the Year" drawing. Get yourself in the running for the ball drop in 2024! And when you're celebrating NYE this year, watch to see who becomes the first official millionaire of 2024.