Time is running out for a $10 bite of the Big Apple and a shot to become the First Millionaire of 2023.
The Virginia Lottery is among 30 states and territories taking part in the annual Powerball sweepstakes. The pandemic hampered the full contest experience in past years. This year, winning Virginia Powerball players should be able to travel to New York City for Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest.
But, time is running out to enter. Virginia Lottery Powerball players have to purchase $10 worth of plays on a single ticket no later than Friday, Sept. 30. The contest began Aug. 1 and Friday is the last day to make a qualifying purchase.
You have until 11:59:59 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 9, to get all of your $10 ticket buys from August and September tickets entered in time for the final drawing.
How to enter the VA Powerball First Millionaire contest
- Buy $10 or more of Powerball plays on a single ticket at a VA Lottery retailer or as a single shopping cart item at valottery.com.
- If you bought the ticket at a retailer, make sure you go online and enter the promotion number, which is printed on the ticket.
- If you purchased the $10 of Powerball plays online or by using the Lottery app, it should send you an email. Click the button in the email, and you’ll be entered in the promotion.
- Players also have the option of scanning their entry form with their phone’s camera at the Lottery website or in the Lottery app and entering the promotion that way.
- There are two drawings left:
- The Tuesday, Oct. 4 drawing has an Oct. 2 deadline
- The final drawing is Tuesday, Oct. 11; it has the Oct. 9 deadline we mentioned.
First Millionaire prizes
The Virginia Lottery’s contest closes with the fifth of the five drawings on Oct. 11.
In each drawing, one player will win a New Year’s Eve VIP Experience Trip (valued at $20,000). A second player will win $2,023.
VIP trip winners receive:
- Round-trip airline transportation to New York City (NYC)
- Hotel accommodations for three nights at a Times Square hotel in NYC
- Two tickets to a welcome dinner
- A pair of tickets to an exclusive entertainment experience
- Two tickets to an exclusive New Year’s Eve dinner and entertainment
- Gift bags for the winner and their guests — each with a retail value of at least $350
- All meals while in NYC
- Spending money in the amount of $1,000 (for the winner only)
- Ground transportation to and from airports, hotel and activities in NYC
- A set of luggage (for the winner only)
- Estimated federal and state taxes paid on the winner’s behalf
How to play Powerball
Players in $2 Powerball choose their first five numbers from a pool of 69, and another number – called the Powerball – from a separate pool of 26. The Power Play option is available for an extra $1 per play.
The prize breakdown and odds are:
- $4 for the correct Powerball (1-in-38.32) or correct Powerball + another correct number (1-in-91.98)
- $7 for any three correct numbers with (1-in-701.33) or without (1-in-579.76) the correct Powerball
- $100 for any four correct numbers with (1-in-14,494.11) or without (1-in-36,525.17) the correct Powerball
- $50,000 for five correct numbers including the correct Powerball (1-in-913,129.18)
- $1 million if only the Powerball number isn’t correct (1-in-11,688,053.52)
- Grand prize is all six numbers are correct (1-in-292,201,338)
