Powerball First Millionaire of the Year Promotion Returns for 2022

The 2022 promotion will work in a similar way to the last two years. It will culminate with five lucky finalists, and one of them being randomly selected as the first millionaire of 2022 in a live draw broadcast during ‘Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2022’.

As well as getting the chance to win $1 million, each finalist will receive a party package including a $10,000 cash prize, big-screen TV, computer with Skype studio, a sound system, a deluxe dinner for eight, and more.

How To Enter

You need to enter via your participating lottery, so the exact method is different in each state. For example, in Mississippi you just have to register via a link in an email sent out by the state lottery, and you will then be entered into a draw to select 16 players. In other states, the process involves entering a non-winning ticket into a Second Chance drawing.

There are 29 state lotteries taking part in the 2022 competition – Arizona, DC, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virgin Islands.

Each state will pick a designated number of winners in their own particular Second Chance drawings or contests. These players will all receive prizes from their state lottery and will be semi-finalists for the national promotion. Ultimately, five of the semi-finalists will be selected prior to New Year’s Eve to receive the party package and be in contention for the $1 million payout.

Check with your state lottery to find out the entry details for your state, and go to the First Millionaire of the Year page for more information.

Looking ahead to the big event, May Scheve Reardon, Powerball Product Group Chair and Missouri Lottery Executive Director said: “This promotion captures the anticipation and thrill of Powerball – you never know where our next big winner will come from. This has become a fun New Year’s Eve tradition that supports our lottery partners as they engage players and raise vital funds for their beneficiaries.”

Previous Winners

The Powerball First Millionaire of the Year promotion launched with an event in 2020 that was held across 25 states. Finalists and their guests enjoyed a three-night stay in New York City, complete with a welcome reception at the Edison Ballroom, a cruise on the Hudson and theatre tickets. A man from Passadumkeag in Maine, Blaine Marston, was selected as the winner.

At the start of 2021, Carlos Mabry from Washington D.C. became the first Powerball millionaire of this year. He said he had never previously been lucky, as the most he had won in the past was $18, and that he would donate a lot of the money to organizations close to his heart.

Mabry’s story shows you can become a Powerball millionaire without having too much joy in the main game. Alternatively, you could win big in one of the weekly drawings and go on to land $1 million at the start of 2022. Draws continue every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday evening.