The Maryland Lottery is tapping into its marketing and promotional budget for a different type of lotto: the VaxCash Promotion.
The official lottery of Maryland is usually in charge of draw games, scratch-off tickets, keno and other games.
However, in conjunction with the Maryland Department of Health, the MD Lottery is also now running the state’s new COVID-19 vaccine lottery. Maryland Governor Larry Hogan recently announced the multidepartment enterprise.
The agency has earmarked a healthy budget for the project, which is dubbed the $2 Million VaxCash Promotion. It includes a daily draw worth $40,000 and an upcoming jackpot of $400,000.
The lotto is for Maryland residents who are 18 and older and who have received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine.
Maryland Lottery and VaxCash Promotion
Nearly everyone in Maryland has the same goal: Get things back to normal. However, to do that, mass vaccination is key.
As of Monday, 45.4% of Maryland residents were fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Another 10.3% had received at least one vaccine dose.
To keep things moving in the right direction, officials launched the vaccine lottery.
Maryland Lottery and Gaming Director Gordon Medenica stated:
“Getting more people vaccinated is good for Maryland, and this is a promotion the Lottery is especially proud to be part of. And most importantly, putting COVID-19 in the rearview mirror is great for Maryland’s businesses. We know everyone is eager for a fun-filled summer where the pandemic is a distant memory.”
How the VaxCash Promotion works
As far as lotteries, this one is pretty easy to enter. Get a shot, and you’re in.
In fact, you don’t need to register for it. If you’ve been vaccinated or begun the process, you’re automatically entered. However, the vaccination must have occurred in Maryland. The state can’t access records from a federal or out-of-state facility, so people who have gotten vaccinated there aren’t eligible.
Here are the prizes:
- May 25 to July 3, daily: One $40,000 winner
- July 4, one-time draw: One $400,000 winner
A random number generator (RNG) will randomly select each winner. The MD Lottery will then collaborate with the MD Department of Health to notify the winners and complete an authorization form. Once it’s signed, lotto officials will work with the winners to begin the claims process.
Winners can remain anonymous if desired.
About the Maryland Lottery
The VaxCash Promotion is a win-win for residents: Protect yourself and your loved ones from COVID-19 and possibly win a jackpot.
As Maryland Department of Health Secretary Dennis R. Schrader stated:
“I am beyond proud of every single vaccinated Marylander who has stepped up to protect themselves and keep Maryland safe and healthy. We need every eligible Marylander vaccinated, and this lottery is a further incentive to get a lifesaving vaccination to ensure we leave no arm behind in our fight to put this pandemic behind us.”
The VaxCash Promotion prize money will come from the Maryland Lottery Marketing Fund. Officials have already allocated that money. Therefore, the vaccine lotto won’t have any impact on its contribution to the Maryland General Fund.
Since its inception in 1973, the Maryland Lotto has awarded $28.2 billion in prizes to players and contributed $17.3 billion to the state’s coffers.
The lotto supports education, public safety, health, human resources and environmental initiatives in the state.
