Tennessee lottery officials planning an instant ticket grand-prize game, probably as early as February, are still being mum about the details.
Lottery CEO Rebecca Paul told reporters after a Tennessee Education Lottery Corp. meeting yesterday that details of the game and the amount of payoff it would provide are still being worked out. However, it is expected to be a drawing from among entries in such games as pull-tabs and scratch-offs, which reveal instantly whether a player is a winner.
"Most lotteries in startup will do a grand-prize drawing," Paul said. "We intend to do a grand-prize drawing tied to the first couple of instant games. Those games are not designed yet."
She wouldn't speculate about the size of the grand-prize payoff. The amount that other states pay is "all over the board."
The rules adopted by the lottery board yesterday say in part: "The CEO shall determine any prizes to be awarded and the method of payment that shall be stated in the draw procedures."
Lottery officials hope lottery games will fund scholarships for an estimated 65,000 students attending Tennessee colleges and universities next fall.
Lottery planners and staff are working overtime in an attempt to have the infrastructure established to start sale of instant game tickets on or before Feb. 10.
Meeting or beating that deadline is worth a $192,500 bonus for Paul on top of her $350,000 salary, and as much as a $18,000 bonus for each member of her inner circle. Paul will get another bonus, for $50,500, if she gets the online games started by April 8.
For online games, tickets are printed by an in-store computer terminal at the time of purchase. Players make their picks on a terminal connected to the lottery data bank and check when winning numbers have been drawn to see if they have won.
Paul said she planned to start the Tennessee lottery with four instant ticket games and add four more at the end of the first two weeks of ticket sales.
The board met by conference call yesterday, adopting instant game rules and regulations and a travel expense reimbursement policy for lottery employees.
Under the policy, lottery retailers who fail to notify police about theft of lottery tickets will be charged the full price of the tickets. All travel by lottery employees must be approved by Paul or a member of her executive management team. Paul said the board had received 2,700 applications from market owners and others who want lottery terminals and instant games in their businesses and more applications are expected.
"The rules adopted by the lottery board yesterday say in part: "The CEO shall determine any prizes to be awarded and the method of payment that shall be stated in the draw procedures." (emphasis added)
So....if TN doesn't give players the choice as to whether they want their jackpot prizes in a lump sum or as an annuity or allows the choice, but only at purchase and not at claiming, we all know who to blame....
All TN lottery players take note:
"The rules adopted by the lottery board yesterday say in part: "The CEO shall determine any prizes to be awarded and the method of payment that shall be stated in the draw procedures." (emphasis added)
So....if TN doesn't give players the choice as to whether they want their jackpot prizes in a lump sum or as an annuity or allows the choice, but only at purchase and not at claiming, we all know who to blame....