The N.C. Education Lottery is sending 20 lottery players to New York City today to New Year’s Eve parties in Times Square and for the chance to become the first millionaire of the New Year.
The players won the free VIP trip for two in the lottery’s Powerball New Year’s Rockin’ Eve second-chance drawings in August and September.
Beginning today, they’ll join other Powerball players from across the country to celebrate in style. During the three-night visit in New York, they’ll get to see the Radio City Rockettes and take a Hudson River holiday dinner cruise. Then, on New Year’s Eve, they’ll attend an exclusive gala at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, featuring live entertainment and have prime viewing of the Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve party with Ryan Seacrest and the Times Square ball drop.
Just after the ball drops, for the first time, a special Powerball drawing will be held to make someone the first $1 million winner of 2020.
“We’ll be cheering on our players as we count down to 2020,” said Mark Michalko, executive director of the N.C. Education Lottery. “We’d love to see someone from North Carolina become the first millionaire of the New Year.”
The winners attending the trip are:
Winners:
• William Moore-of Advance
• Johnny Green Belmont
• Anthony Fortuna of Calabash
• Leon Baker of Cary
• Louis Quartochi of Claremont
• Ruth Nohemy Galindo Oliva of Durham
• Gary Bartlett of Goldsboro
• Stephen DiBacco of Concord
• Juan Hernaez of Fayetteville
• Janet Herring of Fayetteville
• Carl Wiesner- Fuquay-Varina
• Barbara Jean- Turner of Hillsborough
• Michael Martin of Linden
• Patricia Hawkins of Marshall
• Kristopher Loretz of Monroe
• Rhonda Moyer of Raleigh
• Peter McClain of Wilmington
• Josue Acosta of Winston-Salem
• Johnny Honaker of Clover, S.C.
• Robert Dixon of Fort Mill, S.C.
Second-chance drawings like this one make it possible for the lottery to raise more than $700 million a year for education. For details on how lottery funds have made a difference in all of North Carolina’s 100 counties, click on the “Impact” section of the lottery’s website.