Navy Veteran From Newport Could Win $1 Million On New Year's Eve

NEWPORT, RI — A Newport resident could be a millionaire by the time we ring in the new year.

Finton Wallace is one of five finalists who have the chance to win the $1 million grand prize in the “Powerball First Millionaire of the Year” promotion. For the fifth consecutive year, the special drawing for the $1 million prize will occur during the ABC broadcast of “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest.

Wallace entered his Powerball tickets for a chance to win the VIP trip experience in New York City and to participate in a random $1 million drawing, Rhode Island lottery officials said. He opted to send a proxy, Rhode Island Lottery representative Nicole Mineau, on his behalf so he could stay home and take care of his wife of 53 years.

Wallace is an 81-year-old U.S. Navy veteran who worked as a banker in Rhode Island for more than 30 years.

When asked what he would do with the $1 million if he won, he said, "I have a 20 percent chance of winning, and that’s a good problem to have," and then proceeded with, "nothing fancy."

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