• Video
  • Shop
  • Culture
  • Family
  • Wellness
  • Food
  • Living
  • Style
  • Travel
  • News
  • Book Club
  • GMA3: WYNTK
  • Newsletter
  • Privacy Policy
  • Your US State Privacy Rights
  • Children's Online Privacy Policy
  • Interest-Based Ads
  • Terms of Use
  • Do Not Sell My Info
  • Contact Us
  • © 2025 ABC News
  • News

Ohio's 1st million-dollar vaccine lottery winner revealed

2:19
States offer major incentives to increase vaccination rates
Stephen Zenner/Bloomberg via Getty Images
ByIvan Pereira
May 27, 2021, 1:05 AM

Abbigail Bugenske now has a million-dollar check to go with her clean bill of health.

Ohio lottery officials revealed Wednesday evening that Bugenske, a resident of Silverton, was the first winner of the state's much-anticipated "Vaxx-a-Million" sweepstakes. The five-week contest is offered to all residents who received at least one COVID-19 vaccine shot.

Related Articles

MORE: This is why vaccine lottery prizes may work for some, according to psychology experts

The state also announced that Joseph Costello of Englewood won a full college scholarship to a state school -- the prize for entrants under 18.

Gov. Mike DeWine even congratulated Costello in person.

More than 2.7 million adults entered the drawing for the $1 million prize and over 104,000 12- to 17-year-olds entered the competition for a chance to win the scholarships.

The drawing was held on Monday and conducted by a random number generator, but lottery officials said they needed time to verify the winners' vaccination status before they could be announced.

DeWine announced the competition, which is funded by federal COVID-19 stimulus money, on May 12 as a way to raise the state's vaccination numbers.

A healthcare worker administers a dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to a person in a vehicle at a drive-thru vaccination site at the Meigs County fairgrounds in Pomeroy, Ohio, March 18, 2021.
Stephen Zenner/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Four more drawings for a million-dollar prize and college scholarships will take place each Monday in June.

Once a resident enters the competition, it will remain in the system until the contest is over and they do not need to reapply, according to officials.

As of Wednesday, 4.5 million state residents, about 39.19% of the entire Ohio population, are fully vaccinated, according to the Ohio Department of Health. The state had a peak seven-day average of new doses administered on April 18 with 125,600, but it has declined to 46,588 as of Wednesday, according to health department data.

However, since DeWine announced the competition, health officials said they saw an uptick in first-dose administrations. There have been a total of 287,013 new first doses administered over the last two weeks, a 5.8% jump from May 12, according to the data.

Related Articles

MORE: Ohio's vaccination jackpot: State sees increase in shots after offering $5 million lottery

Vaccinations rose for all age groups, according to the health department.

Robert Williams, a professor of health sciences at the University of Lethbridge and a research coordinator for the Alberta Gambling Research Institute in Canada, told ABC News that those hesitant to get vaccinated because they fear unlikely side effects might actually be "optimally suited" for a vaccine lottery incentive.

"If you can convince yourself you have a realistic possibility of winning the lottery, you may be the same kind of person who has an unrealistic view of blood clots," he said.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine speaks about COVID-19 vaccines during a press conference at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, April 27, 2021.
Mike Cardew via USAToday Network

Other states have held incentives to increase their waning vaccination numbers. New Jersey and Connecticut are offering free beers to adults who get their shots, West Virginia is offering a $100 state savings bond and New York is offering free subway cards.

White House adviser Andy Slavitt praised DeWine's plan during a briefing Tuesday.

"People do care about getting vaccinated, but it turns out they also have other things they care about," he said. "We encourage states to use their creativity to draw attention to vaccines and to get their states and the country back to normal as quickly as possible."

Related Articles

MORE: Here's how effective vaccine incentives like free beer really are

After Ohio began "Vaxx-a-Million," five other states followed suit with lottery competitions for varying jackpots: Colorado, Delaware, Maryland, New York and Oregon.

Related Articles

MORE: Here's how effective vaccine incentives like free beer really are

On Wednesday, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced an additional competition that's open to the state's 12- to 17-year-olds. Residents in that age group who gets vaccinated can enter to win one of 50 full college scholarships, including books and room and board, to any State University of New York or City University of New York.

ABC News' Erin Schumaker and Brian Hartman contributed to this report.

Up Next in News—

Shein and Temu products impacted by tariffs: What to know

May 14, 2025

16-year-old speaks out after escaping man who allegedly stalked, harassed her

April 25, 2025

Trump's tariffs: How top products from China will be impacted

April 10, 2025

How to delete your 23andMe data amid company's bankruptcy

March 28, 2025

Shop GMA Favorites

ABC will receive a commission for purchases made through these links.

Sponsored Content by Taboola

The latest lifestyle and entertainment news and inspiration for how to live your best life - all from Good Morning America.
  • Contests
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Do Not Sell My Info
  • Children’s Online Privacy Policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Your US State Privacy Rights
  • Interest-Based Ads
  • About Nielsen Measurement
  • Press
  • Feedback
  • Shop FAQs
  • ABC News
  • ABC
  • All Videos
  • All Topics
  • Sitemap

© 2025 ABC News
  • Privacy Policy— 
  • Your US State Privacy Rights— 
  • Children's Online Privacy Policy— 
  • Interest-Based Ads— 
  • Terms of Use— 
  • Do Not Sell My Info— 
  • Contact Us— 

© 2025 ABC News