Chester County man is nation’s first lottery millionaire of 2022 💥👩👩💥

A Chester County man started off New Year’s Day by becoming a millionaire.

Brian Mineweaser, 49, won $1 million Powerball First Millionaire of 2022 on ABC’s “Dick Clark New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” with Ryan Seacrest. He was selected as the winner on live TV one second after midnight.

He was one of five finalists randomly selected from a poll of lottery players from across the country in the running for the grand prize as part of a lottery promotion.

In December, Mineweaser publicly said that if he won the big prize, the money would be put aside for his children’s college tuition. He has four children.

All five finalists won an at-home New Year’s Eve party package that included a food and drinks, a $10,000 cash prize and an electronics package that included a 70-inchtelevision, sound system, laptop and camera.

It was the third consecutive year that the Powerball made a millionaire out of a lucky lottery player at one second after midnight.

“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 the 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.”

“Powerball games generate hundreds of millions of dollars each year, but it’s great to capture the moment of one’s victory on live television at the beginning of the new year,” he said. Shave Riadon, Powerball Product Group chairman and Missouri Lottery executive director. “Powerball and its lottery partners are excited to be back next year to continue this winning tradition.”

Last year, “Dick Clark’s With Rockin’Eve” with Ryan Seacrest took the viewers to each of the five finalists’ hometowns. After midnight, Carlos Mabley from Washington, DC, was selected as the 2021 Powerball First Millionaire of the Year. In 2020 Brain Marston from Passadumkeag, Maine Selected as the first Powerball First Millionaire of the Year.