The Tennessee Lottery hit the jackpot Tuesday withrecord-breaking first-day ticket sales of $10.8 million.
With prices ranging between $1 and $5, even college students canafford to play and many did.
Candice Spencer, University of Memphis nursing student, stood inline Tuesday with 10 others at the Mapco at Mt. Moriah andPark.
"I like it," she said of playing the lottery. "Why not?"
However, she didn't win anything, and the luckiest person shemet won only $6.
Ticket sales drove up business for Scootie's One Stop market onWalker keeping the store busy all day Tuesday, said sales clerkSimor Oulmoden. Scooties's is one of about 500 stores in ShelbyCounty selling the lottery tickets, but there are more than 3,000retailers participating across the state.
"The only problem with it is when people win and come back tocash it in," which causes even more traffic in the store, Oulmodensaid.
However, there were no big winners at Scootie's by Thursdayafternoon. The biggest payouts there were $70 and $50, while otherswon sums of $25, $14 and $11, Oulmoden said.
If the amount won is less than $600, winners are paid in thestore where they purchased the tickets. For those who win more than$600, however, tickets must be sent to the state lottery office forprize retrieval.
When someone wins, a barcode on the back of the ticket isscanned into a machine. The machine then prompts the input codenumbers hidden beneath the silver scratch-off coating to verifythat the ticket is valid.
For some though, the scratch-off tickets just aren't enough.They're awaiting the introduction of the number games, set to debutas early as next month.
"Scratch tickets suck. Bring on the Power Ball," said CynthiaBrasher, a fifth-year nursing student.
Brasher said the lottery is a good way to help with fundingeducation and welcomes it, even though she will not benefit fromthe scholarships.
Only students graduating from high school starting this year areeligible for lottery scholarships.
The state lottery is charged with raising $88 million dollars byJuly 1 to fund an estimated 65,000 scholarships.
"As a parent in college, I look forward to the time when mychild can benefit from it," Brasher said.
Lottery sales per Tennessee resident reached $1.87, beating theprevious record of $1.83 in the Georgia lottery's debut day.
First-day totals reflected activity between 12:01 a.m. and 10p.m. Tuesday, according to the lottery's Web site,http://www.tnlottery.com.
Sales for the lottery are expected to drop off over the next fewweeks, until the launch of traditional computerized number-pickinggames within the next 60 days.
Sales are expected to increase once again this summer, whenTennessee joins a larger, multi-state lottery like Power Ball.
Participants cannot use credit cards, debit cards or checks topurchase tickets. Lottery tickets can only be purchased by people18 years of age or older and not between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.
