MI Shot to Win Sweepstakes Launched to Encourage COVID-19 Vaccinations

On July 1, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced the creation of the MI Shot to Win Sweepstakes, a lottery-style raffle aimed at providing an incentive for hesitant Michiganders to receive their COVID-19 vaccine. The sweepstakes gives vaccinated Michigan residents a chance to win $5 million in cash and a combined total of nearly $500,000 in college scholarships to those between the ages of 12 and 17 whose parents enter the sweepstakes on their behalf. The sweepstakes will run through August 3, 2021.

The MI Shot to Win Sweepstakes prizes are as follows: One $1 million drawing prize for any Michigan resident age 18 or older who has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccination between December 1, 2020 and July 10, 2021, however entry dates for this prize were July 1 to 10 and this drawing is now closed. There is one $2 million drawing for residents meeting the same requirements as the $1 million drawing and entry for this prized drawing is open until August 3, 2021.

There are 30 daily drawing prizes of $50,000 available to residents who have received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine corresponding to dates in the month of July and their associated sweepstakes entry dates listed on the MI Shot to Win Sweepstakes rules which can be found at http://www.mishottowin.com.

Scholarship prizes are available to Michigan residents who have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine between December 1, 2020 and July 30, 2021 and who enter the sweepstakes as of August 3, 2021. The scholarship drawing will take place on or about August 4, 2021.

"This sweepstakes give every Michigander who's been vaccinated a shot to win cash or college scholarships," said Whitmer. "It's also a great way to encourage more Michiganders to get the safe and effective vaccine so you can protect yourself, your family, and help get life back to normal." As of July 6, Whitmer announced more than 1 million Michiganders had signed up for the sweepstakes.

According to the Michigan.gov COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard, 62 percent of Michigan residents have received at least their first dose of the vaccine as of July 9, 2021. The goal is to raise awareness of the availability and effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine and to reach a 70 percent fully vaccinated rate of Michigan residents 16 and older.

Michigan's sweepstakes is provisioned by Meijer, the Michigan Association of United Ways (MAUW), and the state of Michigan. Michigan residents can qualify to enter the sweepstakes by getting a COVID-19 vaccination at Meijer, their primary care doctor, local health department, pharmacy, or hospital. The sweepstakes is patterned after incentives promoted by other states including Massachusetts and Ohio, whose Vax-a-Million Campaign increased vaccinations in Ohio residents dramatically. To see entry rules and enter the sweepstakes, go to http://www.mishottowin.com. You can also enter the sweepstakes by phone by calling the COVID-19 Hotline at 888-535-6136, then press 1 and provide the information requested. The hotline is available Monday through Friday from 8 am. to 5 pm. and Saturday and Sunday from 10am. to 1 pm.