DETROIT – Gov. Gretchen Whitmer detailed the MI Shot to Win Sweepstakes Thursday, outlining a lottery-style raffle that will give vaccinated Michiganders a shot at about $5 million in cash prizes and a combined total of nearly $500,000 in college scholarships.
The sweepstakes opened Thursday and will run through Aug. 3, featuring a single drawing of $50,000 each day for 30 days, as well as a chance to win a single $1 million drawing and one $2 million drawing.
For vaccinated 12- to 17-year-olds, the sweepstakes also includes nine chances to win a four-year Michigan Education Trust (MET) Charitable Tuition Program contract valued at $55,000 dollars each.
"Today's announcement is an exciting step toward accomplishing our goals of getting more people vaccinated, of getting everyone back to work, getting this economy invigorated," Whitmer said.
The hope is that the incentives will push the state's vaccination rate above 70% for residents 16 and older. It's a strategy that has worked in other states, including Ohio, where Gov. Mike DeWine became the first in the nation to announce a statewide COVID-19 vaccine lottery.
After DeWine announced the Vax-a-Million campaign, there was a 94% jump in coronavirus immunizations among 16- and 17- year-olds, a 46% increase among 18- and 19-year-olds and a 55% rise among Ohioans ages 20-49.
"We are tapping into our competitive spirit as Michiganders," Whitmer said. I know some of you must be thinking, 'Didn't Ohio do this first?' Well, yes, they did. But in typical Michigan fashion, we wanted to do it bigger and better than they can do it in Ohio, and that's what we are ... here to announce. So the MI Shot to Win Sweepstakes will save and change lives."
It's a reversal of what Whitmer said in May about a vaccine lottery in Michigan. She said at the time that state law "precludes us from doing that, but we are investigating ... additional ways that we can encourage people to get vaccinated."
On Thursday, Whitmer explained that the state's gaming statute wouldn't allow Michigan to replicate Ohio's vaccine lottery.
"I was trying to see if we could get a change to the gaming statute," she said. "That was not something the Legislature was interested in, so we pursued other vehicles for doing this. That's why this partnership, powered by Meijer and the United Way, is a great way to accomplish the same goal but through a different means."
Her spokesman, Bobby Leddy, told the Free Press the sweepstakes will be operated by Meijer. The state of Michigan will provide a grant for the program, funded by federal COVID relief dollars, and also will help to promote it. The Michigan Association of United Ways will contribute by promoting the sweepstakes as well.
"That's a great story of what happens when the public sector and the private sector and the philanthropic sector partner to solve a problem," Whitmer said.
Here's how MI Shot to Win will work:
Residents can go to MIShotToWin.com to register for rules and eligibility criteria. For Michiganders 18 and older, the sweepstakes include:
– Thirty $50,000 prizes: There will be 30 drawings for a $50,000 prize each day. The confirmed winners will get their awards by check or electronic transfer. To be eligible for these drawings, Michiganders must have received at least one dose of a vaccine by 11:59 p.m. on the day prior to the drawing.
– A $1 million prize: This single, one-time prize will be awarded as a check or electronic transfer to the confirmed winner. To be eligible, Michiganders must have gotten a vaccine between Dec. 1 and July 10.
– A $2 million prize. This single, one-time prize will be awarded as a check or electronic transfer to the confirmed winner. To be eligible, Michiganders must have gotten a vaccine between Dec. 1 and July 30.
Michigan teens and tweens ages 12-17 who've gotten at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine between Dec. 1 and July 30 are eligible to win college scholarships. Parents must register their children to win:
– One of nine $55,000 scholarships: Each winner will get a Michigan Education Trust Charitable Tuition Program contract valued at $55,000 dollars. The award can be used to pay for tuition and fees at a college or university in accordance with MET terms and conditions.
Register for all the contests online at mishottowin.com or by calling 888-535-6136 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays or 8 a.m.-1p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
Reaching the vaccination goal
State leaders hope the MI Shot to Win sweepstakes will push those who are vaccine hesitant to get immunized.
"We want to get to that 70%," Whitmer said. "So, our efforts, working in partnership with all of these organizations and more, are to get to that 70% number and beyond.
"We saw in Ohio and other states that have had sweepstakes that they saw an influx of people coming in to get vaccinated. There are some who simply have some questions and maybe this will motivate them to seek the answers for their questions so they feel comfortable getting vaccinated."
As of Wednesday, 61.8% of the state's 16 and older population — just over 5 million Michiganders — had gotten at least one dose, according to the state's COVID-19 vaccine dashboard.
But the pace of vaccinations has dropped substantially in Michigan since the peak in the week ending April 10. That's when 400,846 Michiganders got a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 276,400 received a second dose, state health department data show.
Comparatively, in the week ending June 21, 43,250 people got first doses and 85,456 got second doses - a decline of 89.2% and 69%, respectively.
"Events that can draw attention to getting vaccinated — like the MI Shot To Win Sweepstakes — make us enthusiastic as the data we've reviewed of vaccine lotteries in other states is showing they're very effective at getting more people vaccinated very quickly," Protect Michigan Commission Director Kerry Ebersole Singh said in a statement.
The commission, which operates under the umbrella of the state health department, was created in January to help ensure every Michigander has a plan to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
To find a COVID-19 vaccine near you, text your zip code to 438829. You'll automatically get a response with a detailed list of nearby vaccination sites that includes what type of vaccine is available at each location.
The text service includes the option to schedule a free ride to a vaccine clinic through Uber or Lyft and free child care help.
The lottery and sweepstakes ideas have been successful not only in Ohio, but in states such as in Maryland, New York and Oregon, said Andy Slavitt, former senior adviser for the White House COVID-19 Response Team.
"People may say all of this is frivolous," Slavitt said during a May news conference. "I say: Anything that ends the pandemic, it's time for us to pull out now. For those on the fence, find whatever reason you want to get vaccinated. For those not sure yet, do your homework. Talk to your doctor or your pharmacist. All concerns are reasonable, but do yourself a favor: Don't let some guy on Facebook answer your question when good answers are available."
It's not just state and local governments offering deals for the vaccinated. Companies also have pushed incentives.
One of the first offers to entice people to get COVID-19 vaccines came from Krispy Kreme, which literally sweetened the pot when it offered up a free glazed doughnut with proof of vaccination.
United Airlines offered a taste of pre-pandemic life with its "Your Shot to Fly'' sweepstakes, giving away free flights to people who are vaccinated and sign up for its MileagePlus program. Five grand prize winners get a year of free travel to anywhere in the world United flies.
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