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Arkansas offering $2 million in incentives for getting COVID-19 vaccine

Arkansas is now offering incentives for people to get the COVID-19 vaccine to try and get the vaccination rate up.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Arkansas is now offering incentives for people to get the COVID-19 vaccine to try and get the vaccination rate up.

The state is offering you a chance to win a million dollars with a scratch-off ticket or a $21 gift card to Arkansas Game and Fish that will cover your hunting and fishing licenses for a year.

"This totals $2 million that we are devoting to this incentive plan," Gov. Hutchinson said.

Gov. Hutchinson is hopeful this will increase the vaccine rate, which is low compared to the national average. The Arkansas Department of Health said 50 percent of adults in Arkansas have received at least one shot. According to the CDC, almost 62 percent of adults nationwide have.

"States are saying what can we do to incentive these that may be considering or maybe just haven't had the time," Scott Hardin said.

Scott Hardin is the spokesperson for the Arkansas Lottery. He said there is the potential for two $1 million prizes to be won.

"It is our million-dollar spectacular which is one of the most popular tickets in the state," he said.

The state has purchased 50-thousand scratch off tickets and 50,000 gift cards. Even if you do not win the $1 million dollars— Hardin said your odds of winning at least $20 is 1 in 3.

"You've got tens of thousands of cards that are worth $20, tens of thousands worth $100, 4,000 cards worth $500," he said. "To put it simply, this is a popular card that has a lot of money still out there to be won."

You must be 18 to get the scratch-off ticket (so you can't bring your child to get vaccinated and get a ticket through them!) Kids can, however, get the Game and Fish gift card.

The incentives will be available at your local Arkansas Department of Health unit. Once you get vaccinated, bring your vaccination card to your local health unit starting next Tuesday to redeem it. 

"They're going to be looking at this and seeing did this make a difference? Did vaccination rates increase? And if so is this something we want to continue?" Hardin said.

The incentives are only good for people who got vaccinated starting May 25. If you got it anytime before that, you are out of luck.

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