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Pennsylvania Lottery Player Wins $1 Million, Becomes “Powerball First Millionaire of the Year”

1/1/2022
Middletown, PA – A Chester County resident is the winner of a $1 million prize that was awarded just after midnight during ABC’s live broadcast of “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2022.” Brian Mineweaser became the Powerball® First Millionaire of the Year after his name was selected in a random drawing. The 49-year-old won a special Pennsylvania Lottery Online Prize Drawing that gave him a shot to win the $1 million prize just after the ball dropped in Times Square in New York City.
 
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“It’s just so surreal!” said Mineweaser. “It’s amazing to win $1 million! This will help me put my four kids through college.”

Mineweaser was one of five top finalists from lottery players across the nation. In addition to the $1 million prize, he was awarded $2,022 for winning the PA Lottery Online Prize Drawing. He was also awarded an at-home New Year’s Eve party package that included a $10,000 cash prize, among other prizes.

“The Pennsylvania Lottery congratulates Brian on his $1 million Powerball prize,” said Pennsylvania Lottery Executive Director Drew Svitko. “It was exciting to watch the winning moment live on television. We remind our players that it only takes one ticket to win a life-changing prize and playing the lottery in Pennsylvania helps the older residents of our commonwealth.”

Returning for a third year, 29 lottery jurisdictions participated in the Powerball® First Millionaire of the Year promotion, which in Pennsylvania also included a Second-Chance Drawing. The other finalists included Linda Perkins from Aurora, IL; Aaron Rose from Slaughter, LA; Robert Long from Waterloo, IA, who represented a group of 22 lottery players called Lotto 22; and Shari Beenken from Titonka, IA. All of the finalists were interviewed live on television from their hometowns during the broadcast of “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest.”

For more information on the Powerball® First Millionaire of the Year promotion, please visit www.powerballrockineve.com.

For the latest Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve news, exclusive content and more, follow NYRE on social (Facebook | Twitter | Instagram), on ABC sites (Facebook | Twitter | Instagram), online at newyearsrockineve.com and join the conversation by using the official hashtag for the show, #RockinEve.


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About Us: The Pennsylvania Lottery remains the only state lottery to direct all proceeds to programs that benefit older residents. Since ticket sales began in 1972, it has contributed more than $32.6 billion to fund property tax and rent rebates, transportation, care services, prescription assistance, and local services including senior centers and meals.
 
Players must be 18 or older. Please play responsibly. Call 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) for help with a compulsive gambling problem.

Visit palottery.com for winning numbers, rules, chances of winning, and to join the VIP Players Club to play online or enter for second chances to win. Install our Official App, like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram and Twitter @PALottery. Use the hashtag #palottery to share your messages with us.

About MRC Live & Alternative
MRC Live & Alternative is the world's largest producer and proprietor of televised live event entertainment programming with the "Academy of Country Music Awards," "American Music Awards," "Billboard Music Awards," "Golden Globe Awards," "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest" and the “Streamy Awards.” MRC Live & Alternative owns one of the world's most extensive and unique entertainment archive libraries with more than 60 years of award-winning shows, historic programs, specials, performances and legendary programming. For more information please visit: www.mrcentertainment.com.

About POWERBALL
It’s America’s Game! Since 1992, POWERBALL® has inspired the country with a chance to become a millionaire, while raising $25 billion for good causes supported by lotteries. On August 23, 2021, POWERBALL launched a new Monday drawing, which expanded the weekly lineup of POWERBALL drawings to three nights a week: Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. POWERBALL tickets are $2 per play. Tickets are sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. More than half of all proceeds from the sale of a POWERBALL ticket remain in the jurisdiction where the ticket was sold. To date, POWERBALL holds the world record for largest jackpot set in 2016. The record $1.586 billion jackpot was shared by winners in California, Florida and Tennessee. For more information please visit: www.Powerball.com
 

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