New Lottery Game Funds HIV Prevention and Services

The Illinois Lottery has introduced a new game in its series of efforts to fund HIV/AIDS education, prevention, and services.

Lottery officials Wednesday unveiled the Spread the Word instant ticket, which sells for $2 and gives players the opportunity to win up to $20,000.

“Lotteries exist to fund important causes,” said lottery superintendent Michael Jones at the event introducing the ticket. “In Illinois those causes include public schools, roads and bridges, and four special areas determined by the Illinois legislature: veterans’ programs, MS research, breast cancer research, and services that support people with HIV/AIDS.”

Illinois has the only lottery with a game whose profits are used exclusively to fund HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment programs. Since 2008 the lottery has generated over $4.7 million for HIV/AIDS causes, and the new game is expected to raise an additional $1 million.

The state has a significant need for such programs. Illinois ranks seventh nationwide in the diagnosis of HIV infections and fifth in the estimated number of AIDS cases. In 2011 there were 1,760 new cases of HIV or AIDS diagnosed in Illinois. In Chicago, there are more than 20,000 people living with HIV or AIDS — three times the national prevalence rate.

Spread the Word was introduced as part of the Chicago National HIV Testing Collaborative’s monthlong Step Up, Get Tested campaign. More information on the campaign is available at www.stepupgettested.com. Spread the Word tickets are available at more than 8,100 Illinois lottery retailers throughout the state.