Illinois Lottery Red Ribbon Cash game benefits AIDS research

Since 2008, the Illinois Lottery has featured the Red Ribbon Cash Instant Win ticket. One hundred percent of the proceeds from these special Illinois Lottery instant win games are dedicated to an Illinois free of HIV/AIDS and goes to the Quality of Life Endowment Fund, which awards grants through the Illinois Department of Public Health. IDPH has provided grants to the Center on Halstead, Howard Brown Health Center, and the Ruth M. Rothstein Core Center to host health fairs where they provide HIV testing, to provide transportation to treatment appointments, and to help with other support services for people living with HIV/AIDS.

This year is no different. Harold Mays of the Illinois Lottery and Dr. Ngozi Ezike of the Illinois Department of Public Health stopped by WCL to unveil this year's ticket and talk about the impact the money raised has had on HIV/AIDS research.

HIV/AIDS awareness is one of six special causes currently supported by Illinois Lottery instant tickets. The other causes are:

- Breast cancer research, and awareness

- Veterans services

- Multiple Sclerosis research

- Special Olympics athletes' training programs

- Police memorials

June 27 is National HIV Testing Day. Anyone who doesn't know their status is encouraged to go and get checked.

The ticket costs $3, features three top prizes of $50,000 and is available at more than 7,200 retailers across the state.

Overall odds of winning are 1:3.51. More than 513,000 prizes range from $3 to $50,000.

To find out more about the new Illinois Lottery Red Ribbon instant win game, visit the lottery's website.

This segment is produced with and sponsored by the Illinois Lottery.