(WGHP) — A group of eight North Carolinians will get a VIP trip for two to New York City to celebrate New Year’s Eve, and one of the eight may become the first Powerball millionaire of the year, according to an NC Education Lottery news release.

They won the trip, including an exclusive New Year’s Eve gala in Times Square on New Year’s Eve, in a second-chance drawing held by the NC Education Lottery as part of the Powerball First Millionaire of the Year promotion.

The prize also includes three nights’ hotel accommodations in Times Square, tickets to see a Broadway show and $1,000 spending money.

One of the eight, Gary Krigbaum, of Spindale, has a chance on New Year’s Eve to become the first Powerball millionaire 2023. He is one of 29 finalists in the drawing for the $1 million prize, so his chances of winning will be 1 in 29.

Chris Brady, a 59-year-old CPA from Raleigh, is one of the seven other winners of the VIP trip. He said he’s never been to New York City, and he and his wife are “really excited” about going.

“It’s been a while since we’ve been to a New Year’s Eve gala like this,” he said. “We’ve spruced up our wardrobe for the event.”

The other winners are:

• Katherine Klonis of Kill Devil Hills
• Marjorie Donadio of Wake Forest
• Andrea Teopantzin of Hickory
• Mark Womack of Angier
• Christina Chestnut of Charlotte
• Ethan Erickson of Fuquay-Varina

This year’s event will mark the fourth consecutive year that Powerball has held the special drawing for a $1 million prize. The drawing will happen just after midnight on ABC’s broadcast of “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2023.”