The Tennessee Education Lottery is celebrating its 20th anniversary this weekend, as its first ticket sale took place on January 20, 2004.
“For twenty years, the Tennessee Education Lottery has helped open doors for students and families by consistently serving as a vital source of funding for specific education programs,” Lottery president and CEO Rebecca Paul said in a statement. “We’ve seen incredible support from those who have embraced the games, our retailers, our Board of Directors, elected officials, and our dedicated team of employees—all of which has resulted in an amazing journey.”
“As we enter the next decade, we’re dedicated to making sure the years ahead prove just as fun for our players and as productive for the good causes we serve,” Paul added.
The Tennessee Lottery is proud to have funded more than 2 MILLION scholarships and grants for students across the state over the last 20 years! 📚🎓#TNLottery #EducationWins #GameChangingFun pic.twitter.com/KTMy9cID7R
— Tennessee Lottery (@TNLottery) January 18, 2024
Tennessee voters approved the lottery on a statewide referendum in 2002, and it was authorized by the Tennessee General Assembly in 2003 to operate games and generate funds for specific education programs in the state.
All profits leftover from ticket sales go towards educational programs throughout the Volunteer State, including HOPE Scholarships, Wilder-Naifeh grants, Drive to 55 initiatives, such as Tennessee Promise, and more.
The lottery says it is “committed to the strategies that drive its success and help achieve its core mission of maximizing funds for education in Tennessee.”
Since the lottery’s inception, it has returned more than $7.2 billion to the state for education on top of its $19.8 billion payouts in player prizes and $1.9 billion in retailer commissions.
The lottery has also sold 395 tickets worth $1 million or more during its 20 years.
In celebration of its anniversary, players who purchase the lottery’s Jumbo Bucks 20th Anniversary tickets have the opportunity to earn 20 times the amount of points through January 31.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
