North Carolina man becomes Powerball First Millionaire of the Year

Gary Krigbaum of Spindale rang in 2023 by becoming the Powerball First Millionaire of the Year and winning $1 million.

Krigbaum’s big win occurred just after midnight on New Year's Day when he won the Powerball First Millionaire of the Year drawing during ABC’s broadcast of “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2023.”Krigbaum did not make the trip to New York City but his daughter, Sarah Day, did on his behalf and represented him at the Times Square event.

“Dad, Dad, I’m bringing home a million dollars,” Day shouted after she won.

Krigbaum’s good luck began with a second-chance drawing held by the N.C. Education Lottery. In that drawing, he won not only the trip as part of the “Powerball First Millionaire of the Year” promotion, but became one of 29 Powerball players chosen nationally for a chance in the $1 million drawing.

His luck continued on New Year’s Eve. During the broadcast, he became one of five chosen to get an entry in the $1 million drawing.

Shortly after midnight, the “NC” ball came up in the drawing and Krigbaum won the $1 million prize.

"I don’t know what to say,” Day told the host of the show, Ryan Seacrest, on national TV. ”I want my dad to have as much of it as possible. I want him to go fishing and get his truck and whatever he needs.”

Watching the win were seven other North Carolinians who also won a VIP trip for two to New York City as part of the promotion and spent the holiday weekend in New York City. They attended Broadway shows and the exclusive New Year’s Eve gala in Times Square that ended with the special $1 million drawing.

The New Year’s Eve event was the fourth time in four years that the Powerball game partnered with “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest” to conduct the $1 million drawing.