Donating blood in January will automatically enter you in a giveaway for a chance to fly to San Francisco for the big game.
WASHINGTON — Buying a ticket to the Super Bowl can often cost an arm and a leg.
But what if you could pay in blood?
The American Red Cross is offering a promotion through the month of January that will enter blood donors into a drawing to win a pair of tickets to Super Bowl LX in San Francisco.
Donors must sign up and give blood between Jan. 1 and Jan. 25 to be eligible for the sweepstakes.
The winner will get round-trip plane tickets for them and one guest, three nights at a hotel, a $1,000 gift card for expenses and access to all of the pre-game activities at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
The American Red Cross, the U.S. branch of the worldwide humanitarian network, said in a statement Monday that they are facing a growing risk of a blood shortage after the holiday season.
The end of the year sees many Americans traveling across the country, and a related uptick in accidents, crashes and hospital visits.
The Red Cross said that the wintry weather in December led to fewer donations of blood and plasma, straining the nation’s supply.
How to apply
Anybody who gives blood, plasma or platelets to the American Red Cross from Jan. 1 through Jan. 25 is automatically entered into the giveaway.
Donors can book a time at redcrossblood.org or by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
The Super Bowl this year is scheduled to kick off at 6:30 p.m. Eastern on Sunday, Feb. 8. The teams playing in this year’s big game haven’t been determined yet, but the regular season ended on Jan. 4, with playoff games scheduled throughout January.