SANTA FE – New Mexico’s Vax 2 the Max Sweepstakes, a $10 million vaccination incentive program funded by federal stimulus dollars, has already attracted almost 400,000 New Mexicans in a little more than a week.

As of the end of the day Tuesday, June 8, 372,774 vaccinated New Mexicans had opted in to the sweepstakes.

New Mexicans who have received their COVID-19 vaccination must opt in to the sweepstakes to participate; vax2themaxnm.org is where to opt in and read more about the rules and regulations.

New Mexicans can schedule their COVID-19 vaccinations at vaccinenm.org.

Department of Health data shows a 7-day average of new vaccination registrations of 1,437 per day for the week beginning June 1, the date the sweepstakes were announced. Over the week prior to the launch of the sweepstakes program, the 7-day average of new vaccine registrations was 1,352 per day, suggesting the launch of the sweepstakes may have contributed to a general flattening of, or even slight improvement upon, a recent downward trend in new registrations.

Prize drawings for the sweepstakes will begin June 18. The New Mexico Lottery will conduct five biweekly $1 million drawings beginning that date — with four $250,000 winners from each drawing, one from each of the state’s public health regions — and one grand prize $5 million statewide drawing in early August.

Other prizes — including in-state staycations, passes to state museums and parks and more — are available and awarded at random to New Mexicans receiving their shots at vaccination sites throughout the state, including this week at Fire Station #2 in Los Lunas (June 11), the John Marshall Health and Services Center in Albuquerque (June 12) and the Las Cruces Farmers Market (June 12).

The New Mexico Lottery prize wheels — which New Mexicans receiving their vaccinations may spin for a chance to win up to 20 scratch-off lottery tickets — are spread throughout the state at random, including scheduled appearances this week at Roosevelt General Hospital (June 10), the Hidalgo Public Health Office (June 10), Roswell and Otero Public Health Offices (June 11), Mountainair High School (June 12), Santa Fe Public Library—Southside (June 12) and the Farmington Recreation Center (June 12).

When the state reaches 60 percent of eligible New Mexicans having completed their vaccination series, the COVID-19 restrictions on commercial and day-to-day activities will be removed two weeks later, allowing for vaccinations to take their full effect.