Vax and scratch: NY offers $5M lottery for newly vaccinated

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Anyone who gets vaccinated at select state-run vaccination sites in New York next week will receive a lottery scratch ticket with prizes potentially worth millions, as Gov. Andrew Cuomo tries to boost slowing vaccination rates.

The pilot program will offer prizes from $20 up to $5 million and run from Monday, May 24 to Friday, May 28 at 10 state-run sites, Cuomo said Thursday. 

“It’s a situation where everyone wins,” Cuomo said at a press conference in Buffalo.

The governor said there’s a one in nine chance of winning a scratch ticket prize in New York, which is joining other states, including Ohio, with similar lottery incentives. Only residents 18 and older are eligible, according to a press release.

New York also plans to set up pop-up vaccination sites at seven airports across the state for U.S. residents, including airport workers.

New York has fully vaccinated about 43% of its 20 million residents, above the national average of 37.8%.

Still, Cuomo said the pace of vaccinations has slowed: New York has recorded an average of 123,806 daily shots in arms over the past 14 days. That’s down 43% from 216,040 as of April 12.