LANSING, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — Nearly 500,000 Michiganders are now entered into the state’s new MI Shot To Win Sweepstakes, a lottery style raffle that gives those vaccinated a chance to win more than 5 million in cash and a combined total of nearly 500,000 in college scholarships.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced the sweepstakes on Thursday, July 1st, and within 24 hours, the entries came flooding in. Currently, 464,698 people are entered to possibly win one of the grand prizes along with 23,978 Michiganders signed up for the scholarship drawing.
In addition, news coverage of Governor Whitmer’s announcement of the sweepstakes at a Lansing press conference Thursday generated nearly $1 million in free publicity about the giveaway and the importance of getting a COVID-19 vaccination.
The MI Shot To Win Sweepstakes is the latest kickoff in a series of lottery-style raffles by other states such as Ohio’s first-in-the-nation launch of the “Vax-a-Million” campaign. Ohio said vaccinations in the state 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 after Governor Mike DeWine announced the lotteries.
The aim of the MI Shot To Win Sweepstakes is to increase the state’s vaccination rate by roughly 9% – or approximately 667,000 Michiganders – to achieve the statewide goal of 70% of residents age 16 and older who are immunized.
The sweepstakes began Thursday and ends on August 3rd, 2021. Eligibility criteria for each of the drawings can be found online at: www.MIShotToWin.com.
