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Four more $1million prizes and four more scholarships will be handed out every Wednesday night over the next four weeks.
update 5/13/2021 9:12 AM
A grad student in Ohio has become the first person to win $1million in the state lottery for the vaccinated.
Engineering graduate Abbigail Bugenske, from Silverton, was pulled from a hat of 2.7million Ohioans during a 60 second broadcast on Wednesday.
"I can't believe it,” her grandmother Karen told The Washington Post. "I kept saying, 'Stop, this is a scam. It's, what, a million? No, you don't mean a million, you mean a thousand'... Wow, this is unbelievable."
The state is also offering five full-ride college scholarships to Covid vaccine recipients under 18: the first winner of that was 14-year-old Joseph Costello:
14-year-old Joseph Costello is the winner of full college scholarship as part of the Ohio's Vax-A-Million giveaway: "It feels very good. I’m very happy about it and excited." https://t.co/aT17GKgYuW pic.twitter.com/PoHlQGlaDW
— Good Morning America (@GMA) May 27, 2021 @GMA
Four more $1million prizes and four more scholarships will be handed out every Wednesday night over the next four weeks.
Original story 5/27/2021 7:30 AM
As if being inoculated against a potentially fatal virus isn't incentive enough — you can get rich too!
The state of Ohio is giving $1million to five brave residents who step forward to... get the Covid vaccine.
Governor Mike DeWine announced on Twitter that he is using Government Covid Relief funds to entice people into getting the shot with a $5million lottery.
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View Story"Two weeks from tonight on May 26th, we will announce a winner of a separate drawing for adults who have received at least their first dose of the vaccine," he tweeted. "This announcement will occur each Wednesday for five weeks, and the winner each Wednesday will receive one million dollars."
The lottery is open to anyone over the age of 18, is a resident of Ohio... and has gotten at least one Covid shot.
Two weeks from tonight on May 26th, we will announce a winner of a separate drawing for adults who have received at least their first dose of the vaccine. This announcement will occur each Wednesday for five weeks, and the winner each Wednesday will receive one million dollars.
— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) May 12, 2021 @GovMikeDeWine
The winner will be chosen from the state voter registration database. Even those who are not registered to vote can try their luck using a dedicated website, launching shortly.
"I know that some may say, 'DeWine, you're crazy! This million-dollar drawing idea of yours is a waste of money.'" he tweeted.
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View Story"But truly, the real waste at this point in the pandemic — when the vaccine is readily available to anyone who wants it — is a life lost to COVID-19."
I know that some may say, “DeWine, you’re crazy! This million-dollar drawing idea of yours is a waste of money.” But truly, the real waste at this point in the pandemic -- when the vaccine is readily available to anyone who wants it -- is a life lost to COVID-19.
— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) May 12, 2021 @GovMikeDeWine
Reaction to the incentive was mixed.
There were those who thanked the Governor for making the effort to safeguard the citizens:
Thank you for keeping Ohio safe, and for all that you do for Ohioans! You are the BEST Governor ever!!!
— Ashleigh Holmes (@AshHolmes061584) May 13, 2021 @AshHolmes061584
ayyy big money Mike you're my hero thanks for being so thoughtful 🤍
— OG SkyWalker (@sWHITE_13) May 13, 2021 @sWHITE_13
There were those who argued the money could be much better spent, by giving it to frontline healthcare workers or bereaved families, or perhaps by spreading the prize money further:
How about taking care of our first responders !
— Irene Hatziantoniou (@Ireneskincare) May 13, 2021 @Ireneskincare
You could do so much more! With millions of people in Ohio, having only 5 winners does very little good for any of us.
— Jeho82 (@Jeho821) May 13, 2021 @Jeho821
Having 500 winners of $10,000 will help give hope to families and our economy.
how about using that money for the families that have lost loved ones from Covid-19. Their loss is great and they could really use the money.
— Deanne Pennell, LMT (@kinksout777) May 13, 2021 @kinksout777
Those state employees are still being withheld their contractually obligated $8/hr hazard stipend because the state claimed to “not have the funds”. Glad the state can give away 5 million, not use the rainy day fund, and spend money on weekly covid tests for employees though.
— Collin James (@Collin_LiftALot) May 13, 2021 @Collin_LiftALot
There were those who accused the Governor of bribery:
Bribery is a felon!!!
— Harold (@HNDorsett2) May 13, 2021 @HNDorsett2
So apparently censoring, propaganda, and shaming haven't been successful enough...let's add bribing. If ever there was a reason to be contrary and not follow a crowd, this would be it.
— Joshua Thiessen (@JoshuaThiessen3) May 13, 2021 @JoshuaThiessen3
And then there were these guys:
I feel like there has to be some dystopian novel where the heads of state encourage the plebs with prizes to play Russian Roulette.
— President Dr. Chad Harrington (@ChadAintBad) May 13, 2021 @ChadAintBad
