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Ohio has revealed the first big winners in its million-dollar vaccine lottery, which was introduced to boost vaccination rates in the state.

The first of five weekly draws was conducted on Monday but the announcement was made Wednesday evening to allow time to confirm the eligibility of the winners.

Abbigail Bugenske of Silverton, in the Cincinnati metropolitan area, is the winner of the $1m cash prize. Joseph Costello of Englewood, a town about an hour north of Cincinnati, was announced as the winner of a four-year scholarship to any university within the state’s public education system, which is the prize for under-18s.

“Congratulations to Abbigail and Joseph,” Governor Mike DeWine said in a tweet.

Ohio’s willingness to offer five $1m prizes and five four-year scholarships is one of the boldest, but perhaps fairest, of the vaccine incentive programmes announced by state and city leaders. Residents who had been vaccinated in the earlier months of the state’s rollout were allowed to participate in the draw.