1st Winner Of Colorado's $1 Million Comeback Cash Announced

DENVER, CO — Gov. Jared Polis announced Friday the first $1 million winner of Colorado's Comeback Cash vaccine drawing.

Drum roll ...

Sally Sliger, of the town of Mead in Weld County, is the winner of the first draw, Polis announced. Sliger is a clinical data analyst who's lived in her town for two decades, and she plans to support her retirement and family with the $1 million, she said.

“I’m incredibly excited to be Colorado’s first Comeback Cash winner," she said. "This virus has forced my family to keep distance from our loved ones, and even postpone family events we’ve had for decades. When the wait was over, there was no doubt that I would receive the vaccine. I did it to protect my family, my community, and myself from illness. I encourage everyone to get vaccinated because of the freedoms this vaccine has provided me, my family, and my community."

Five Coloradans are set to become $1 million richer after the new lottery was launched May 25. A winner is set to be announced each week through July 7.

Don’t miss the latest news updates in Denver, Boulder, Arvada, Lakewood and Littleton. Sign up for free Patch news alerts and newsletters for what you need to know daily.

A separate Colorado scholarship program was announced Wednesday — Twenty-five residents between ages 12 and 17 — who have at least one dose of their vaccine — will be eligible to each win a $50,000 scholarship.

Successful incentivization programs were launched in other states, such as Ohio's Vax-a-Million $1 million lottery, which caused vaccinations to spike more than 25 percent; however, Colorado hasn't seen a large spike in vaccination rates as a result of its sweepstakes. Polis said he hopes that the announcement of the first winner will inspire others to get vaccinated.

The next drawings — which will each announce the $1 million winner — will be held June 11, June 18, June 25 and July 7.

Coloradans who have received the vaccine are automatically entered — check here to see if you're in the database (make sure to enter your information exactly as you submitted it). If you aren't recorded in the database, first check with your vaccine provider to make sure your information was submitted, then call the Colorado Immunization Information System at 303-692-2437 (Option 2).