A COVID-19 shot in Michigan also nets a shot to win cash
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced a lottery-style raffle that gives vaccinated Michiganders a chance to win $5 million in cash and a combined total of nearly $500,000 in college scholarships.
The MI Shot To Win Sweepstakes follows Ohio’s first-in-the-nation launch of the “Vax-a-Million” campaign. Ohio said post-lottery vaccinations increased 94% among 16- and 17- year-olds, 46% among 18- and 19-year-olds, and 55% among those between 20 and 49 years old.
Under Michigan’s new sweepstakes, residents age 18 and older who have received one dose of vaccine are eligible to register for a combined total of $5 million in cash giveaways.
The sweepstakes begin July 1 and end on Aug. 3, 2021. Eligibility criteria for each of the drawings can be found here.
“If there’s one thing every Michigander can agree on, it’s that whatever Ohio can do, Michigan can do it better and bigger,” Whitmer said. “This sweepstakes gives every Michigander who’s been vaccinated a shot to win cash or college scholarships. It’s also a great way to encourage more Michiganders to get the safe and effective vaccine so you can protect yourself, your family, and help get life back to normal. If we all roll up our sleeves and do our part, we can all win big. Let’s get to work!”
Michiganders can qualify to enter the sweepstakes by getting vaccinated for COVID-19.
Taxpayer-funded prizes include:
- $1 Million Drawing: There is one prize for Michiganders age 18 and older of $1 million awarded as a check or electronic transfer to the confirmed winner.
- $50,000 Daily Drawings: There are 30 daily drawing prizes available for Michiganders age 18 and older of $50,000 awarded as a check or electronic transfer to the confirmed winners.
- $2 Million Drawing: There is one drawing prize for Michiganders age 18 and older of $2 million awarded as a check or electronic transfer to the confirmed winner.
- Scholarship Drawing: There are nine scholarship drawing prizes available for Michiganders between ages 12-17 whose parents enter on their behalf. Each prize consists of a four-year Michigan Education Trust Charitable Tuition Program contract (valued at $55,000) that may be used to pay for tuition and mandatory fees at a college or university per MET terms and conditions.
The goal of the public outreach campaign is to incentivize getting a COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccinations have plummeted in the last month, as 61.8% of Michiganders have received one vaccine.
The lottery aims to boost that vaccination rate to 70% or 767,000 Michiganders, which was Whitmer’s original goal to lift COVID-19 restrictions.
“The data reflect that the vast number of Michiganders who are not yet vaccinated are actually not opposed to getting vaccinated,” Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Director Elizabeth Hertel said in a statement.
Nationally, vaccinations have fallen from over 3 million per day in April to about 1.8 million per day, according to Our World in Data.
Michigan’s sweepstakes giveaway is powered by Meijer in partnership with the Michigan Association of United Ways and Michigan. The statewide vaccine sweepstakes are supported by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Michigan Chamber of Commerce, Michigan Association of State Universities, Small Business Association of Michigan, Business Leaders of Michigan, the Protect Michigan Commission, and more organizations.
This article was originally posted on A COVID-19 shot in Michigan also nets a shot to win cash
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