Daughter collects the year's first million-dollar prize on behalf of her father

By Kate Northrop

NEW YORK, N.Y. — A North Carolina man was the first lottery player to be named a newly minted millionaire in 2023 during ABC's broadcast of "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Secrest 2023."

Just after the clock struck midnight, Gary Krigbaum of Spindale, North Carolina, won $1 million in the "Powerball First Millionaire of the Year" promotion and became the first person in 2023 to win a million dollars in the lottery.

Throughout the U.S. leading up to the drawing, state lotteries held their own second-chance drawings to determine who would become finalists to participate in the penultimate New Year's drawing in New York City. Krigbaum won the second-chance drawing held by the North Carolina Lottery and was one of 29 Powerball players chosen nationally to participate in the drawing for $1 million.

Although he won the trip to New York, his daughter, Sarah Day, traveled on his behalf and represented him on the national stage.

During the New Year's Eve broadcast, the final selection for who would be able to enter the final drawing for $1 million was narrowed down to five people, which included Krigbaum.

Krigbaum was the last one standing and the first one a million dollars richer when the "NC" ball came up in the drawing.

"Dad, Dad, I'm bringing home a million dollars," Day shouted to her father after she won in his stead.

Seven other North Carolina residents, who also won a VIP trip to New York City to spend the holiday weekend in Times Square, were there to view the spectacle.

"I don't know what to say," Day told 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."

This year's "Powerball First Millionaire of the Year" promotion marks the fourth time Powerball partnered with "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest" in Times Square.

(Click to display full-size in gallery)Gary Krigbaum of Spindale, North Carolina, won $1 million in the "Powerball First Millionaire of the Year" promotion and became the first person in 2023 to win a million dollars in the lottery. Pictured here is Krigbaum's daughter Sarah Day, who traveled on his behalf and represented him on the national stage.