Vax shot jackpot? Chicagoan and two downstate winners to get $100,000 prizes in state’s vaccine lottery

Three $100,000 jackpots will soon be handed out to lucky vaccinated Illinois residents.

That money will be given to three winners — one from Chicago, one from Quincy and another from Springfield — as part of the state’s “All in for the Win” vaccine lottery. Residents of those cities should watch for a call from (312) 814-3524 or an email from DPH.communications@illinois.gov notifying them they are among the winners.

Winners will have seven days to complete the process to claim their prizes, and they’ll be announced in eight days, unless they choose to remain anonymous.

Last week, an unidentified Chicagoan became the first of three $1 million winners.

Public health officials announced the $1 million winner from the city last Thursday, along with three $150,000 scholarships won by inoculated teens from Chicago, suburban Cook County and DeKalb County.

The state plans to reveal the identities of last week’s winners on Friday, unless they choose to remain anonymous.

Illinois set up a $7 million cash prize pool for vaccinated adults. Three will win $1 million and another 40 state residents will be drawn for $100,000 cash prizes. In addition, 20 vaccinated kids will be chosen to win $150,000 scholarship through the lottery.

Giving away cash is the state’s latest campaign to get more shots into arms. To be eligible for future drawings, which Illinois plans to do through the end of August, state residents must have received their doses at least one week ahead of the draw.