OLYMPIA, Wash., June 3, 2021 – Gov. Jay Inslee today announced a suite of new incentives by means of a vaccination lottery with prizes totaling $2 million to help encourage unvaccinated Washingtonians get vaccinated.
The Washington State Lottery will be conducting a “Shot of a Lifetime” giveaway series during the month of June, working with state agencies, technology companies, sports teams and higher education institutions across the state to offer a myriad of different prizes to vaccinated individuals.
This includes people who have been vaccinated in Washington, regardless of when. The incentives are not just for new vaccinations.
The incentives announced today include:
- Lottery cash drawings, with prizes totaling $2 million
- Higher education tuition and expense assistance
- Sports tickets and gear
- Gift cards
- Airline tickets
- Game systems and smart speakers
“These generous programs will encourage more Washingtonians to take this life-saving vaccine,” Inslee said during a press conference Thursday. “I hope people will see this as an opportunity to reopen even sooner than June 30th if we can stay motivated, stay informed and get more people vaccinated faster throughout the month of June.”
According to the most recent data from the Department of Health (DOH), approximately 63% of Washingtonians 16 years and older have initiated their vaccinations. The state hopes that the incentives announced today will entice unvaccinated people to initiate their vaccinations and raise the statewide rate to save more lives and protect more people.
Washington is set to reopen fully on June 30, or when the percentage of eligible adults who have initiated vaccination reaches 70%, whichever comes first.
Secretary of Health Dr. Umair Shah said that he hopes incentives unveiled today help push Washington closer to the 70% reopening goal.
“Our state has made tremendous progress, with well over half of our population 16 and older fully vaccinated, but there are still far too many people who have not started vaccination,” Shah said. “We hope this effort encourages people to get their vaccine to protect themselves and their communities as we push toward reopening at the end of this month.”
Inslee Vaccination Lottery Drawings
Five (5) drawings will be held for eligible adults:
- Drawing 1: June 8, 2021
$250K winner contacted June 9, 2021
Merchandise prize winners contacted 6.9 – 6.11, 2021 - Drawing 2: June 15, 2021
$250K winner contacted June 16, 2021
Merchandise prize winners contacted 6.16 – 6.18, 2021 - Drawing 3: June 22, 2021
$250K winner contacted June 23, 2021
Merchandise prize winners contacted 6.23 – 6.25, 2021 - Drawing 4: June 29, 2021
$250K winner contacted June 30, 2021
Merchandise prize winners contacted 6.30 – 7.2. 2021 - Drawing 5: July 13, 2021
ONE WINNER $1,000,000
Winner will be contacted July 14, 2021
Two (2) drawings will be held for eligible minors age 12-17. The prizes for minors shall consist only of GET units:
- Drawing 1 on June 15, 2021
- Drawing 2 on June 22, 2021
Inslee Vaccination Lottery Cash prizes
Starting next week, the Lottery will conduct one drawing for $250,000 every week for four weeks for all vaccinated individuals. At the end of the four weeks, there will be an additional, final drawing for a $1 million prize.
Vaccinated Washingtonians don’t need to do anything to be entered in the four drawings. The Lottery will automatically gather names from the DOH statewide immunization database.
The governor was joined by Marcus Glasper, director of the Washington State Lottery, for the announcement.
“Washington’s Lottery is proud to partner with the Governor’s Office and the Department of Health on this important promotion,” Glasper said. “As the state’s principal agency on conducting lottery drawings, we are honored to be able to play even a small role in administering a promotion that helps ensure that our state’s residents are healthy and protected as we continue to move towards ending the pandemic.”
Inslee Vaccination Lottery Higher Education Assistance
Inslee also announced a suite of higher education incentives, including tuition and book assistance at institutions across the state.
Nearly $1 million will be dispersed directly to the public four-year universities and two-year community and technical colleges to run their own drawing for free tuition and expenses for vaccinated students.
The state will also be offering 30 prizes of one year of tuition college credits to 12–17-year-olds through the Guaranteed Education Tuition (GET program). These credits will go directly to families.
Inslee Vaccination Lottery Tickets
Also included in the incentives announced today are various ticket prizes offered by Washington companies and sports teams.
Potential prizes include:
Alaska Airlines
- 2 free airline tickets to anywhere Alaska flies
Seattle Mariners
- 4 tickets to an upcoming game
- Full suite to an upcoming game
Seattle Sounders
- 4 tickets to a game in August, plus two autographed jerseys
Seattle Storm
- 10 tickets a game for the rest of the season
Seattle Seahawks
- 4 club level seats, plus parking passes
Seattle Kraken
- Concert tickets
OL Reign
- Four 2021 season tickets, plus a team-signed jersey
Vaccination Lottery Game Systems and Smart Speakers
The governor also announced that several technology companies are offering technology and software to help the state’s efforts to get people vaccinated.
Microsoft will be giving away 300 Xboxs and GamePasses to vaccinated individuals, and Nintendo will be giving away Nintendo Switches. Google will give away 25 Google Nests and Amazon will be giving away 100 Echo Dots.
Vaccination Lottery Gift Cards
In addition to the above incentives, the Washington State Department of Commerce partnering with the Association of Washington Business (AWB) and local Chambers of Commerce will be purchasing $1 million of gift cards to local businesses through local chambers of commerce to be given away at vaccine locations. Commerce and AWB will be sharing additional details soon about the locations and dates where this program will roll out.
The Washington State Department of Health will also have $500,000 in gift cards to give away over the summer as part of their Care-a-Van mobile vaccination effort. The gift cards will be for different kinds of retail offerings — from groceries to fishing gear to top soil.
The Washington State Parks will also be giving away 80 “one week of free camping” gift cards, worth $250 each, and the Washington Department for Fish and Wildlife will be giving away 80 $100 gift certificates for fishing and hunting licenses. Also included will be 400 Discover Passes, which allow access to recreation on State public lands.
“Choices have consequences. The vaccine is our best and safest chance to get back to pre-pandemic levels of activity,” Inslee said. “It is a personal choice, but one that affects the lives of millions. The choices we make affect our neighbors, our friends and our families. So, I hope more people make the right choice, to learn more about the safety and efficacy of the vaccine, and to get vaccinated.”
If you or a loved one has yet to get vaccinated, make an appointment at VaccineLocator.doh.wa.gov.
Inslee Vaccination Lottery Eligibility
All vaccine incentive prizes will be drawn from the DOH immunization database to determine winners. The only action that Washingtonians need to take to win any of the prizes is to get vaccinated. All individuals who have been previously vaccinated are eligible.
The incentives are open to all Washington residents regardless of citizenship, but proof of Washington residency is required.
Employees currently working at the Office of the Governor, Washington State Lottery and Department of Health and their households are not eligible for these incentives.
For more lottery details click here.
Content Source: Governor Jay Inslee Press Release
Author: Lynnwood Times Staff
5 Responses
Inslee is a POS demoncrat is he really attempting to start a Hunger Games version of lottery? You have a larger chance of having adverse reactions like death, or blood clotting than you do of winning from this death race lottery. Oh, and let’s not forget the new research that shows you chance of sterilization is like 90%! Well, couple that with the swab used to poke your brain for testing…….anyone ever bother to ask what the (EO) stands for on the swab package? Yeah go8ng with a “NO” on this EVIL lottery!🤔