What would have been a $200,000 prize two weeks ago, with the old Powerball rules, is now $1 million for the holder of a Powerball ticket that was sold in Berks County. Lottery results

“We are excited for our first million-dollar winner from the new version of Powerball, which debuted Jan. 15,” said Lottery Executive Director Todd Rucci. “It’s great to see the game changes result in a bigger prize for one of our players.”

For this drawing, the ticket correctly matched all five white balls, but not the red Powerball, for a $1 million second-tier prize, less 25 percent federal withholding. National lottery

And just like with the other stores, the retailer will receive a $5,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket, and not the $500 bonus that was awarded before for the match-five prize of $200,000.

As always, Lottery officials still cannot confirm the identity of the winner until the prize is claimed and the ticket is validated. Players need to remember that the Pennsylvania Lottery Powerball winners have one year from the drawing date to claim prizes.

As a policy, the Lottery encourages the holder of the winning ticket to sign the back of the ticket, call the Lottery at 717-702-8146 and file a claim at Lottery headquarters in Middletown, Dauphin County, or at any of Lottery’s seven area offices.

All the claims can be filed at headquarters Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and at area office from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

In the 2010-11 fiscal year, in addition to awarding nearly $49.5 million in prizes to Berks County winners, the Pennsylvania Lottery contributed with nearly $28.9 million to programs that serve in Berks County to help older residents.

Powerball: It is a lottery tickets game that can be bought for $2 and players have to select five white balls from the first set of 59 numbers plus a single red ball, the Powerball, from a second set of 35 numbers. Players can always select their own numbers using a Powerball playslip, or they can have the computer select some quick picks. In order to win the jackpot, players must match all five numbers drawn plus the Powerball number. An addition, there also are eight more ways for players to win a cash prize.

About the Pennsylvania Lottery: Up to this day, The Pennsylvania Lottery remains the only state lottery that has designated all its proceeds to programs that benefit the older residents of the state. Since 1971, the Pennsylvania Lottery has contributed nearly $21.5 billion to programs that include property tax and rent rebates; free transit and reduced-fare shared rides; the low-cost prescription drug programs PACE and PACENET; long-term living services; and the 52 Area Agencies on Aging, including full- and part-time senior centers throughout the state. As always, the Pennsylvania Lottery reminds players to play responsibly. Players must be 18 or older.

If you live in Pennsylvania, check your tickets carefully, as you could be the Newest Powerball Millionaire.