Starting next week, the Washington State Lottery will launch a giveaway series aimed at incentivizing more people to get their COVID-19 vaccinations.
“Shot of a Lifetime” was announced by Gov. Jay Inslee on Thursday. Prizes for the new lottery include:
- Weekly cash drawings of $250,000 for four weeks
- A final cash drawing of $1,000,000 on July 13
- Alaska Airlines: Two free airline tickets
- Mariners: Four tickets, a suite to an upcoming game
- Sounders: Four tickets and two autographed jerseys
- Storm: Ten tickets a game for the rest of the season
- Seahawks: Four club level seats and parking passes
- Reign: Four 2021 season tickets and a team-signed jersey
- Concert tickets provided by the Kraken
- Electronics: Xboxs, Nintendo Switches, Google Nests and Amazon Echo Dots
There will also be a separate drawing for anyone 12-to-17 years old. Thirty students will be offered one year of tuition through the Guaranteed Education Tuition (GET) program. The state will also disperse about $1 million to public four-year universities and two-year community and technical colleges to hold their own drawings for free tuition and expenses for vaccinated students.
The Washington State Department of Commerce will also be purchasing gift cards from local businesses to give out at vaccine sites.
The Washington State Department of Health will also give away $500,000 in gift cards as part of their Care-A-Van mobile vaccination effort,
“It’s working well in other states. This is a very common-sense investment to save lives,” Inslee said. “We’re still losing a dozen lives a day or so in Washington. We know we can do better.”
Washington residents who receive one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine are automatically entered in the giveaway series. Anyone who has already been vaccinated is also automatically entered, according to Marcus Glasper, the director of the Washington State Lottery.
“You do not have to go anywhere or do anything, except get one vaccine dose to be entered in these drawings,” Glasper said.
Winners will be contacted by the state lottery, Glasper said. Winners have 72 hours to respond and claim their prize. If the state does not hear back, the prize will be given to an alternative, presumptive winner.
The incentives are open to all Washington residents regardless of citizenship. Proof of Washington residency is required.
Employees working with the Governor’s Office, Washington State Lottery, the Department of Health, and any related households are not eligible for the incentives.
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