Coronavirus New York: State to reward vaccinations with $5M lottery tickets
Coronavirus Update for New York
NEW YORK (WABC) -- New Yorkers can get a free lottery ticket if they get vaccinated next week, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Thursday.
Cuomo said the pace of vaccinations has slowed: New York has recorded an average of 123,806 daily shots in arms over the past 14 days. That's down 43% from 216,040 as of April 12.
"If you were undecided or dubious about getting a vaccine, now you have an added bonus. Don't miss this chance," Cuomo said.
As part of the "Vax and Scratch" pilot program, if someone gets vaccinated at one of the state's 10 mass vaccination sites between May 24 and 28, they'll receive a scratch-off ticket for the $5 million Mega Multiplier Lottery.
A ticket normally costs $20. The top prize is $5 million, but anyone who has a ticket has a one-in-nine chance of winning something.
The incentive is similar to programs introduced by other states.
On Wednesday, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said the state would offer free state park passes, a free glass of wine, as well as a chance to win dinner with the governor and First Lady Tammy Murphy.
Last week, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced the state's Vax-a-Million lottery system, offering residents a $1 million prize or a full-ride scholarship to a four-year university in the state.
New York has fully vaccinated about 43% of its 20 million residents, above the national average of 37.8%.
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