Vax-a-Million: Who Won Ohio's 1st $1 Million Lottery?

OHIO — Ohio's first Vax-a-Million lottery winner was announced Wednesday evening.

Abbigail Bugenseke claimed the prize $1 million prize. As a condition of claiming the prize, the recipient must agree to be publicly announced and to accept a lump sum payment of the winnings.

The Vax-a-Million lottery awards $1 million prizes to randomly selected vaccinated Ohioans. The lottery will pick five winners in consecutive weeks, with the first winner announced Wednesday. Ohioans need to opt into the lottery for a chance to win.

Read more: Vax-a-Million Scams Multiply In Ohio, 4 Tips To Protect Yourself

The Vax-a-Million program has generated statewide and national interest in both the lottery andn vaccination process, an outcome.

Between May 7 and May 10, vaccination rates dropped 25 percent compared to the prior weekend. On May 12, Gov. Mike DeWine announced that five vaccinated Ohioans would win $1 million through a random lottery.

Then, the following weekend, from May 14 to May 17, vaccination rates increased 28 percent from the prior weekend, the Ohio Department of Health announced.

DeWine said the state has also seen the following impacts since the Vax-a-Million announcement:

• 2.75 million Ohioans registered for $1 million lottery contest.
• 104,686 young Ohioans registered for scholarship drawings.
• 74 million pageviews on Ohio Vax-a-Million website.
• $15 million of free media attention on Vax-a-Million.