Lottery fans dreaming of riches waited patiently until after midnight to try their luck as Tennessee became the last state in the Southeast to offer legal gambling.
Four different types of scratch-off lottery games went on sale at 12:01 a.m. local time Tuesday. Tickets cost between $1 and $5 and award prizes up to $1 million.
"I feel it will be lucky here tonight. Hopefully it will be," said Natalie Dukureh, a postal worker in Nashville who raced to a convenience store right after her shift ended late Monday.
Dukureh spent $45 and won $12 plus a free ticket. "Not a problem," she said.
The start of the Tennessee games, with proceeds earmarked for college scholarships, comes over a year after voters overwhelmingly approved a measure to lift the state's constitutional ban on lotteries, which are now expected to bring in $900 million a year for the state.
At a convenience store in Brentwood, a crowd of about 50 people counted down the seconds in a festive atmosphere that included a live broadcast by a radio station and free sandwiches and hors d'oeuvres provided by the store.
Walter England of Brentwood bought the store's first tickets and spent $110.
"I'm doing this just to help education," said England. "If I win, this might be the last time I play."
Until the lottery was approved, many owners of Tennessee convenience stores -- especially those close to neighboring states -- complained they lost money as customers drove past their stores to pick up supplies and lottery tickets across state lines.
Now lottery officials expect their games to draw players from border states, even those that already have lotteries. Across the state, purple-and-yellow signs beckoned players into stores and employees prepared for extra work.
In Ooltewah, about 15 miles east of Chattanooga, Steve Ray has been prepping for the games for more than six months. He spent more than $100,000 over the summer to add extra room and a coffee shop to his Neighborhood Chevron so people will have a place to play the games.
"We were going to expand anyway, so when the lottery came in it gave me the incentive to go ahead and do it," he said.
Ray, whose store usually closes at 7 p.m., reopened at about 10 p.m. Monday for a midnight party.
"This is historic for us," Ray said. "The state's over 200 years old. It's about time to have a lottery."
WOW!!I guess Tennessee Lottery didnt have there duck in a row or something??I drove 120miles for a scratch off ticket and went toooo three diff. stores and guess what?I came back home with out a ticket...One store said thay haven't got the tickets in yet (this is 4:30pm)and the other two said there not done with the lottery school yet and it will be 7pm tonight before they are ready??????Can someone give me some inside info???? ChunnyBunny.....
Glad to see that Tennesse is finally getting with it. I remember when the first scratch-off's were sold in Pa. (1975) Drove the clerks nuts, by people winning free tickets or a few bucks then cashing them in and getting more tickets. Probably the lottery school is to train the clerks what to do. How to validate the ticket, etc. There were not always the bar-code validation process, and over the next few years when more states went on board with instant games intially, (other draw tickets were sold the same way: pre printed from a roll. There was high moral concern that people were getting suckered and ripped off, and many states wanted to ban them. Too late now. Sort of like slots, where people re-cycle their winnings. That's how one loses.
All it takes is common sense and a dedicated budget.
Good luck ChunnyBunny. I see on the news headlines on the main page that Mississippi is proposing. Will save you driving. So lobby your State Reps now!
Thanks Lotto Czar,I do have the common sense and a dedicated budget BUT I don't see the lotto comeing here.We are so,so,so,so,I can't think of any good words to come up with so Mr.Todd want get on me to say hahahehe.I would like see this state to do something to say we done something.(sorry you have to read between the lines)I posted a note on the MS.lottery. ChunnyBunny whish you all the best luck in the world.And a Happy New Year to all and my the $$$$$$Jing-O-Lings$$$$$$be good to all
WOW!!I guess Tennessee Lottery didnt have there duck in a row or something??I drove 120miles for a scratch off ticket and went toooo three diff. stores and guess what?I came back home with out a ticket...One store said thay haven't got the tickets in yet (this is 4:30pm)and the other two said there not done with the lottery school yet and it will be 7pm tonight before they are ready??????Can someone give me some inside info???? ChunnyBunny.....
Lottery school to sell scra
Glad to see that Tennesse is finally getting with it. I remember when the first scratch-off's were sold in Pa. (1975) Drove the clerks nuts, by people winning free tickets or a few bucks then cashing them in and getting more tickets. Probably the lottery school is to train the clerks what to do. How to validate the ticket, etc. There were not always the bar-code validation process, and over the next few years when more states went on board with instant games intially, (other draw tickets were sold the same way: pre printed from a roll. There was high moral concern that people were getting suckered and ripped off, and many states wanted to ban them. Too late now. Sort of like slots, where people re-cycle their winnings. That's how one loses.
All it takes is common sense and a dedicated budget.
Good luck ChunnyBunny. I see on the news headlines on the main page that Mississippi is proposing. Will save you driving. So lobby your State Reps now!
Thanks Lotto Czar,I do have the common sense and a dedicated budget BUT I don't see the lotto comeing here.We are so,so,so,so,I can't think of any good words to come up with so Mr.Todd want get on me to say hahahehe.I would like see this state to do something to say we done something.(sorry you have to read between the lines)I posted a note on the MS.lottery. ChunnyBunny whish you all the best luck in the world.And a Happy New Year to all and my the $$$$$$Jing-O-Lings$$$$$$be good to all
Thanks. Chunnybunny.