NC woman wins $1M Powerball prize on TV, and Ryan Seacrest gets caught up in the frenzy

A North Carolina woman won the $1 million Powerball prize on national television early New Year’s Day and absolutely could not contain her excitement, falling to the floor in a sea of confetti and enveloping host Ryan Seacrest in a massive hug.

Pamela Bradshaw of Clinton was one of five people chosen from around the country for a chance to win the million dollars. She had one in five odds of winning the big prize.

Shortly after midnight, Seacrest held the drawing on “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2024” on ABC.

As the No. 1 ball rose to the top and Seacrest shouted “Number 1! Pamela, you’re a millionaire,” Bradshaw flung her numbered paddle to the ceiling and collapsed on the studio floor as confetti fell, video showed.

Seacrest and Bradshaw’s daughter, Joanna Hinson, reached down to help pull her back up. Bradshaw could only jump up and down and scream “Oh my God” repeatedly as she hugged Seacrest and her daughter.

“Pamela ... first time here in New York City and you’re walking away in the new year a millionaire,” Seacrest said to Bradshaw. “The Powerball first millionaire of the year. Can you speak any sentences of excitement?”

Bradshaw, still overcome with emotion, responded, wrapping her arm around Seacrest, “Thank you God. I’m so blessed. I’m so blessed.”

It’s the second year in a row someone from North Carolina has won the New Year’s Eve prize, a promotion that involves the North Carolina Education Lottery and lotteries from 22 other states.

Bradshaw’s trip to New York came after winning a second-chance drawing held by the N.C. Education Lottery.

It was her first time flying on a plane, according to a release from the N.C. Education Lottery.

According to a news release, she said she would like to use her winnings to buy a new house. She told Seacrest she might give her daughter “a little” of her winnings.

Her exuberant reaction caught social media’s attention with many noting Seacrest’s stunned face as Bradshaw hugged him.

“Watching the lady just win the powerball was a million times better than when the ball dropped,” one user posted on X, formerly Twitter.

“I thought Green Day’s performance was the best we had on this year’s #RockinEve , I was wrong. The BEST and the ACTUAL MOMENT was when that lady won the powerball,” another wrote.

The New Year’s Day Powerball drawing is at $810 million. The odds of winning are 1 in 292 million, according to a news release. The winner would receive an annuity of $408.9 million if taken as cash.