Get the Vaccine in New York & You Could Win $5 Million

If you get the COVID-19 vaccine in New York you could win $5 million with the 'Vax and Scratch' program.

Governor Andrew Cuomo is paying people to get vaccinated with free New York State lottery scratch-off tickets. Anyone 18 and over, who gets a vaccine, will be given a lottery ticket that has a grand prize of $5 million. The tickets will be available at 10 vaccination sites across the state, including Central New York and the Mohawk Valley, from Monday, May 24 to Friday, May 28.

"We know vaccinations are the vital piece of the puzzle we need to crush COVID once and for all," Governor Cuomo said. "We're doing everything we can to make getting a vaccine as quick and easy as possible, but as vaccination rates slow across the state, we're going to have to get creative to put even more shots in arms. This new pilot program will offer a greater incentive for New Yorkers to get vaccinated by offering a free scratch-off ticket for a chance to win up to $5 million. The more New Yorkers we can get vaccinated, the better our situation and the faster we can return to a new normal, so I encourage everyone who hasn't been vaccinated yet to go to your nearest site and get the shot."

The ticket will be handed out to anyone who takes the first dose of Pfizer or the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine at one of the sites that will be open from 7AM to 8PM for both walk-ins and appointments.

CENTRAL NEW YORK
State Fair Expo Center: NYS Fairgrounds
581 State Fair Blvd
Syracuse, NY

MOHAWK VALLEY
SUNY Polytechnic Institute
100 Seymour Rd
Utica, NY

Get the full list of vaccination sites and lottery payouts at NY.gov.

What about all us New Yorkers who have already gotten the vaccine? Where's our lottery ticket?

LOOK: Answers to 30 common COVID-19 vaccine questions

While much is still unknown about the coronavirus and the future, what is known is that the currently available vaccines have gone through all three trial phases and are safe and effective. It will be necessary for as many Americans as possible to be vaccinated in order to finally return to some level of pre-pandemic normalcy, and hopefully these 30 answers provided here will help readers get vaccinated as soon they are able.