$10 million needed to fully fund scholarship grants for students
Are computerized drawings hurting sales? Will the Tennessee Lottery bring back real ball drawings? Why is Powerball always blamed for poor financial showing in Tennessee?
The state of Tennessee probably will have to pull about $10 million from reserves to keep lottery scholarships fully funded this year, budget officials said after reporting a revenue shortfall last week.
State Budget Director Bill Bradley said the state will fall short by an additional $3.2 million of the $266 million needed to fund the scholarships. Gov. Phil Bredesen already had requested $6.6 million from reserves to cover a projected shortfall in the scholarship fund. The full amount is likely to come from the $381 million lottery reserve fund.
About 88,000 lottery scholarships were awarded in 2008-09.
Although lottery ticket sales are slightly higher than they were at this point last year, the state has also paid out more prizes, as players chose games with higher chances of winning. Powerball revenues also declined due to the lack of a jackpot in the range of $200 million-$300 million, a figure that typically draws more players.
"The difference in not having a $300 million Powerball jackpot is as much as $25 million (to the state)," said Rebecca Hargrove, president of the Tennessee Education Lottery Corp.
The state probably will have to take out more from reserve funds next year, when the cost of the lottery scholarships is expected to rise to $276.5 million as students remain eligible for the money and others get scholarships for the first time. At the same time, the lottery corporation does not expect revenue to increase next year.
Last year legislators lowered the grade-point-average standards and expanded eligibility for the state's HOPE scholarship, which gives $2,000 to students at two-year schools and $4,000 to university undergraduates.
The state spent $225.8 million on about 76,300 scholarships the year before the standards were changed, according to the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.
Expansion is in doubt
The shortfall probably means the end to requests from lawmakers to expand the lottery scholarship program this year.
Despite the lower revenue, Rep. Gary Moore, D-Joelton, expects the legislature to pass a bill expanding a grant program created last year for Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans.
Last year $439,200 of the fund's maximum amount of $750,000 was used for the grants.
"The money was set aside for that purpose, and it's the only reason we have the money there to do it," Moore said.
He was doubtful, however, that a separate bill for $33,000 in grants for firefighters in training would make it through the legislature.
Thanks to four4me for the tip.
From what I've read from other Tennessee players online here at the Lottery Post, Players not only need to feel like they have the chance to win, they must also experience the win; no matter what the prize size. Sustainability does not come from some a state lottery figure-head telling everyone how great and wonderful computer generated numbers are, it comes from the players themselves; through their actions that generate revenue. When someone feels they can't win by chance and experience the satisfaction of a reasonable win, they tend to not play. Hence, the drop in sales. Now their may be those who would like us to believe it's some other reason why they have failed to convince us computer generated numbers are the real deal, but that is the just same-old, same-old. As long as lottery players feel they have no chance of winning, by chance and actual experience, then the revenues will continue to be low.
In Ohio the drawing are shown on TV stations around the state take between one anad two minutes and that includes a lotto ad.
What the State of Tennessee ought to do, is take the 10 million dollar shortfall out of
Mrs. Hardnose's salary, this way they can kill two birds with one shot.
That would get rid of her, and the computerized drawing would surely follow her home...
Adios sin-or-eta. Have a nice trip, see ya next fall....!
The reason I stopped playing the Tennessee Lottory is due to the lack of transparency. Today, the officials go into a little windowless room, press the enter key on a computer, walk out and then annouce what the winning numbers were. What goes on in that room is anyone's guess. My guess is they chose the combination that will result in the least amount of payout in each game.
Until they return to ball draws and show the balls dropping, I will continue to spend my lotto dollars in Illinois and Georgia.
When lottery players don't win, they don't SPEND!!
Thats what RPAUL ALWAYS SAYS "ITS Powerball sales" she is insane,thats not true at all and she knows it...its all the other TN online games that TN messed up when they brought in RNG and did not even tell the players of the change..change in drawbreak times,lucky sum...its not even on the Tn cash 3 or cash 4 playslip,they should have printed new slips by now,the scratches??????
Bring back the ball drawings NOW!!! C2
Did you read the big Pauly?Little hit it ,cause thats all we can hit in TN!C2
If you check the "Related Stories" box above, you'll see another article from 2008 where she blamed Powerball also. I guess when you're looking for cover, it always helps to blame someone else!
This is the best solution to the problem that I've read,yet!
Todd,
Thats funny Iwas just telling the old lady the same thing RPaul said the same thing last time there was a problem,as u said, or i SAID, UH??
C2
"Last year legislators lowered the grade-point-average standards and expanded eligibility for the state's HOPE scholarship,"
When there is an expansion to make more students eligible to use up the funds it will come back to bite you when their is a shortfall of funds.
Computerized drawings back home roosting on Hargrove's head.
The irony of it all. 
Totally agree with both littleoldlady and JAP79. Both are route causes.
I have two points
Why powerball sales are down is because no one has won a jackpot in Tennessee in 4 or 5 years... we were told that there would be big winners when powerball came to town, so far nothing for 99.9% of us. most players that have played the powerball in the past and have not won and are tired of loosing because it is no fun when somebody don't win in TN. the only reason she "Mrs. Hargrove" has to blame the powerball and the 300 million jackpots is because people that never play when it is 92 million will play when there are 300 million. We want to see a multi million dollar winner in Tennessee and not off of lotto plus or scratchers and it doesn't matter if it is 20 million or 220 million. Powerball win in T-N powerball win in T-N powerball win in T-N... ETC!!!
and the second thing I have to say about, the computerized drawings are a rip off... for example the TN lottery's anniversary was Jan 20th it's 5th year... cake and ice cream anyone... the lotto plus which also is computer drawn was rolling for quite some time hit on the Lotto anniversary anybody see this as a fluke I do!!!!!!!!!!
I don't mean to sound like a sore looser but enough is enough nothing is written in stone except Tenn.'s bad luck
I also like to spend my lotto dollars in Georgia... I always win something when I play!!!
I can actually say I agree. If it looks like a duck... If it sounds like a duck... It's probably Rebecca... Seriously though... She was NEVER a fan of Powerball in the first place. If they went back to ball drawings I would probably start playing Cash 3, Cash 4, and Pick 5 again. I miss the old Tennessee Lottery before they were all about saving money. I'm actually surprised they didn't include the fact that doing these RNG drawings they are saving money... And I can see a possible argument in the future "If we change back to Balls we will lose even more so it's better this way..." So many possible fallacies.
There are lots of greed these days.
Why do these guys mean by a computerized drawing,since when I watch a POWERBALL drawing it uses real balls?
I think most states with Powerball would echo her comments - the lack of a big Powerball jackpot this year is affecting sales. I'm just saying...
Tennessee uses a computer to determine the numbers drawn for their instate games...
your definitely right about players losing confidence because its RNG.can't remember last time i played numbers here.
there was once an article on web...might try googling it..that TN would never have a jackpot winner....very interesting! C2
C2 what exactly would I google for that story?
Not sure I just remember reading that on the web about 1-2 years in to TN lottery existence....C2
Just to clear up any possible confusion, there has been one Powerball Jackpot winner in Tennessee since the games started. The family who won lives only 5 or 6 miles south of my hometown. Ironically, they sold the $25 million jackpot ticket to themselves from their autoparts store. I believe this happened way back in 2005.
Yes, and of course Lottery Post has that story in its archives!
https://www.lotterypost.com/news/110452
Want to see stories about Tennessee? Just click the "Tennessee" story tag on page 1 of this news story (on the right side under "Tags for this news story".
As a matter of fact, if you click the various tags there or in the Tag Cloud, you'll be able to track down any type of news story.
Those tags are a neat way to see the chronology of stories for any topic. When checking out Tennessee's tag for example, try going to the last page and move toward the first page one at a time. It is fascinating to see the lottery develop over time -- through it's good parts and bad parts.
I have quit playing any Tennessee Cash 3, Cash 4 or Lotto Plus because of the computerized drawings. All drawing are rigged even the lottery officials say they aren't. I also hope the Tennessee lottery keeps losing money because I live within 8 miles from Georgia. Tennessee and Rebecca can take their lottery and .....well you know the rest.
i also want to clear up what i meant in 4-5 years it was a ball park figure. i know that the hubbard family won the jackpot... but since then no big winners, still i want to say that i am not a sore looser, but i do better in Georgia with Mega Millions than i ever did in Tennessee and powerball.. i live just a few miles away from Georgia so a little gas and a few dollars and i have a true chance at winning big and helping education... not just helping education and loosing to a inadaquite "qp" system... why can we leave powerball and go with mega millions? they pay more to people than to the system, thats why the cash option is so much higher when compared to an equal amount in powerball
Another point to think on
if you think about the big picture all numbers are computer generated when you buy the ticket at the store... you just hope and pray that the balls fall (your) way for (your) state!!
and to Tnplayer805
from powerball number archives
03/30/05 28 39 22 32 33 42 5 1-TN 13,851,308*
wow i just got through reading the tennessean article and there are lots of people in there putting comments about not playing anymore because of the computer draws.i used to think that the general lottery player here in tennessee didn't know or care how the draws were done but i was shocked at how many people had said they quit because of the computer draws.apparently people are coming to their senses about this even if it is the everyday joe who buys a ticket with his coffee.i'm getting this hopeful feeling that maybe somewhere high up someone will expose this RNG fraud and boot mrs. hardnose out the door and return our ball draws.
I wasn't suggesting your post was confusing. You DID state 4 or 5 years ago in the original. And the jackpot the Hubbard's won was $25 million annuity.
All I can say is bring the balls back or as far as I can see TN lotto has no balls, so we all go elsewhere. The thing is if TN won't show theres then neither will we!!!!!
Rebecca Paul is a sell out.....a worn out liar using others lotto ideas to float this crap...I for one have had enough....