Vet, COVID-19 Survivor From Glen Burnie Wins $40K In Vax Lotto

GLEN BURNIE, MD — A 61-year-old real estate agent and Air Force veteran from Glen Burnie took a financial hit when he contracted COVID-19, not to mention the toll the virus took on his health.

When he received a call from the Maryland Department of Health informing him that he had become the second person to claim a $40,000 prize in Maryland’s $2 million VaxCash promotion, he was stunned.

“Enduring virus symptoms and the isolation that came with it was extreme for me personally, but also for other family members who also contracted the virus,” Gerard Dupree told the Maryland Lottery. “I felt a responsibility and duty to share that with others.

Dupree said he chose to get vaccinated as an act of service and to avoid a second diagnosis.

“At first I was skeptical of the virus, but even with my bout in March, I could tell this was a powerful virus,” he said. “If that was just a taste, I was certain I’d rather take the vaccine than face another round with COVID-19.”

Dupree visited Lottery Headquarters June 2 to claim his prize. He won the May 28 drawing.

The VaxCash Promotion, announced by Governor Hogan on May 20, is a collaboration between the Maryland Lottery and the Maryland Department of Health aimed at incentivizing Marylanders who have not yet received their COVID-19 vaccinations while rewarding those who have.

All Maryland residents 18 and older who have received a COVID-19 shot at a non-federal facility in Maryland at any time are automatically entered into daily drawings being held from May 25 through July 4. Each day through July 3, one winner will receive a $40,000 prize and the promotion culminates on the Fourth of July when one winner will receive a $400,000 prize.