New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham unveiled the Vax to the Max program June 1, which will offer cash prizes totaling $10 million. The state will give $250,000 to lottery winners from each of New Mexico’s four public health regions every week, for five weeks, starting in mid-June. In early August, one winner will be drawn from a statewide pool of vaccinated adults to receive the $5 million grand prize.
New Mexico is among a handful of states seeking to encourage COVID-19 vaccinations via lotteries. As of June 1, 55.8 percent of New Mexico residents age 16 and up were fully vaccinated against COVID-19, state data shows.
Ohio was the first state to launch such a program in May. Health officials said the state’s vaccination rate jumped 28 percent from May 14-17 after Gov. Mike DeWine announced the lottery.
