Vax for the Win Official Rules

Updates as of June 2, 2021:

  • Clarified methods of contacting persons selected in the drawings may include contact information other than telephone number associated with the person’s record in the State’s vaccine registry.
  • Clarified that persons eligible for the drawings are limited to living persons.
  • Added definition of “immediate family.”

California’s Vaccine Incentive Public Health Program

Official Rules

June 4, 2021 – June 15, 2021

PURPOSE: The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) will conduct a series of randomized drawings for prizes intended for vaccinated persons to reinforce the importance of vaccination to protect public health in the face of a pandemic. The persons identified in the drawings will be able to claim money prizes.

TERMS OF PROGRAM: Drawings for $50,000 will take place on June 4 and June 11, 2021. Fifteen persons will be drawn at random on each of those two dates. A drawing for ten $1.5 million prizes (totaling $15 million) will take place on June 15, 2021. Drawing dates are subject to change. An eligible individual can win no more than 1 prize. CDPH reserves the right to terminate or extend this promotion at any time.

ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION: The persons eligible for the drawings will be limited to living persons age 12 and older, who were not temporarily present in California[1] when they received a vaccine dose, and are identified in the State’s vaccine registry, as of the time of the drawing, as having received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.[2] No action is needed by eligible persons to be included in the drawings. No purchase or payment of fees is necessary for participation. Immigration status is not a barrier to eligibility. Incarcerated persons are not eligible. Employees of CDPH, the California State Lottery, the California Health and Human Services Agency, the Government Operations Agency, and the Office of the Governor, and their immediate families, are not eligible. “Immediate family” means spouse and dependent children, consistent with California Government Code section 82029.

WINNER SELECTION AND NOTIFICATION:

  • CDPH will lead a process by which the State will randomly select provisional winners from eligible participants. To do so, CDPH will provide a list of random number identifiers representing each eligible participant – identifiers that can only be connected with persons’ identities by CDPH – to the California Lottery, which will conduct the random drawing using standard practices applicable to drawings that ensure randomness and integrity of the draw. The California Lottery will then transmit the selected numbers back to CPDH, which will identify and contact the selected persons. 
  • The names of award winners will not initially be announced due to federal rules regarding confidentiality of medical records and state law concerning disclosure of immunization records rules. The names of award winners may subsequently be announced if consent is first received from the recipients.
  • Winners will be given the opportunity to decline the prize and/or decline publicity associated with the prize.
  • Accepting the prize will require giving consent to disclose the winner’s information from CDPH’s vaccine registry for purposes including, but not limited to, payment and tax withholding.
  • If CDPH cannot immediately make contact via telephone with the persons selected in the drawing, CDPH will repeat efforts to contact the persons via telephone, text, email or other contact information associated with the person’s record in the State’s vaccine registry  between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. CDPH’s efforts to contact persons selected in the drawing may end 96 hours after the first attempt at contacting the persons, after which time they may no longer be offered a prize and another person may be selected for the prize from the pool of eligible persons. The method of attempting to contact selected persons, using the contact information available, is within the sole discretion of CDPH and not subject to appeal or review.  
  • The timing and degree of efforts used to locate a winner or to deem a winner ineligible based upon the terms of the program shall be at the sole discretion of CDPH.
  • The random drawing will also include selection of alternates in case selected persons decline the prizes, are ineligible for the prizes, or cannot be contacted, to ensure all prizes are awarded.

ODDS: The odds of winning will depend on the total number of eligible persons identified in the State’s vaccine registry at the time of the drawing.  Publicly available data regarding the number of eligible persons may be found on the State’s COVID dashboard.

ADDITIONAL TERMS: 

  • Prizes may be subject to taxation and net of any public debts of which the State is aware (e.g., taxes, child support, restitution payments).
  • Except as otherwise specified herein, prize winners agree to the use of their names and/or likenesses for advertising and publicity purposes, without compensation. 
  • Proof of age, eligibility and identity must be furnished upon request.
  • If a winner is a minor, the prize funds will be invested in a savings instrument and the minor will be able to access the funds upon achieving the age of majority. 
    Additional conditions and details about administration of prizes paid to minors will be available before the first drawing.  
  • Winners will receive the prize only upon completion of their second dose (when using a vaccine that requires the person receive two doses to be fully vaccinated).
  • Payment of prizes will be made through the State Controller’s Office.
  • Payment of prizes is contingent on the completion of any necessary and appropriate paperwork to facilitate payments.
  • CDPH has the right to modify or end the Vax for the Win program at any time.
  • To accept and receive a prize, participants must agree to release and hold harmless CDPH, its employees, agents and officers from any claim, demand, judgement, award and/or any liability of any kind related to this Vaccine Incentive Public Health Program.

In the event of a conflict, these official rules supersede any applicable general rules or advertisements of the Vax for the Win program.

[1] The determination of whether a person was temporarily present in California shall be at the sole discretion of CDPH and not subject to review or appeal.

[2] Some persons who have received a dose of COVID-19 vaccine in California may not be identified in the State’s vaccine registry.  If CDPH is unable to obtain vaccination status information about such individuals from other governmental agencies holding such information prior to the drawings, such individuals will not be eligible for drawings.  CDPH makes no commitment or promise that such information will be obtained from other governmental agencies prior to the drawings. 

​Originally Published on May 27, 2021

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