Cuomo Announces New Program Providing Lottery Tickets To Those Who get Vaccinated

[TTL News 308]

Yesterday Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced a new vaccination program that will provide free NYS lottery scratch-off tickets to individuals 18 and over with a grand prize of $5 million. The program will initially include 10 vaccination sites in the New York City, Long Island, Mid-Hudson, Central New York, Finger Lakes, Mohawk Valley and Western New York regions. The sites will be open from Monday, May 24 to Friday, May 28. All sites will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. The program will not impact education funding.

"We know that 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, which is sold by retailers across the state for $20, will be provided free to individuals 18+ who take their first dose of Pfizer or the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine at one of the sites. 

Locaions where this program will take place include major cities such as New York as well as cities upstate such as Buffalo, Syracuse, and Rochester. 

[Chris 2,162]

I'm sorry, but this is completely asinine. It's pretty simple... if people want the vaccine, they'll get it. If they don't they won't. Offering rewards like this is insane. 

I thought this state was broke?!?!

[Ann 264]

I’m wondering why they are paying/bribing people to get the vaccine.

[MsKreed 1,181]

It feels like some politicians have a desperate need to distribute them to justify the billions (trillions?) they paid out to pharma giants (along with all the other ongoing "pandemic" expenses).

It could be an embarrassment to have the sensationalized spread levels subside with a vaccine rate lower than their dire predictions....and could make them seem less credible when they push for the next gazillion dollar spending bill. 

Edited May 21, 2021 by MsKreed

[Andy 70]

I don’t have a problem with this, I programmed my microchip to start buzzing whenever I hold a winning lotto ticket!

 

 Who said pins and needles couldn’t be helpful 🤑

[MsKreed 1,181]

My cynical side (that sees too many people looking for drama and stuff to whine about)......suspects that a number of people (those who eagerly ran out to brag about getting vaccinated first, and were enjoying their sense of superiority) will be bitter about "slackers" being rewarded.

I predict they will now demand a bigger "reward" than those who waited for this incentive. 

[MsKreed 1,181]

[Kevin 334]

Ohio is holding a lottery for people that get the vaccine.  

[MsKreed 1,181]

12 minutes ago, Kevin said:

Ohio is holding a lottery for people that get the vaccine.  

Ohio's was announced a week ago. Their "Vax-a-million" offers the weekly $ million prize only to vaccinated participants. Thus guarantees that five people will win the 'prize' for actually being vaccinated.

This is what I first assumed Cuomo was doing when I saw this.

 

Instead he's just handing out scratch-off ticket for an existing game (in which anyone with $20 can participate as often as they like). 

[Nick 73]

They can spend $X in public service announcements to encourage people to get vaccinated. Or they spend $X of lottery money to tempt them. One is from tax revenue (or borrowed), and the other is from lottery profits. I'm not sure how effective either will be, but greed is a powerful persuader for some people.

[Kevin 334]

https://www.theintelligencer.net/news/top-headlines/2021/05/ohio-vaccinations-jumped-33-after-vax-a-million-news/

[Chris 2,162]

I still think offering a reward for getting a shot is BS.

[KarenK 383]

2 hours ago, Chris said:

I still think offering a reward for getting a shot is BS.

It totally is, but it's also human nature.  People want to win a prize.  

[MsKreed 1,181]

It is indeed human nature for people to respond to that reward stimulus.  And I agree it's totally BS to exploit that human nature for something like this.

 

I'm also not sure that the trend toward participation trophies hasn't warped a lot of people's concept of requiring some sort of tangible reward for activities that have inherent (although not immediately tangible) benefits for just engaging in them.