Feel the power

Powerball game opens to state Monday

By Thomas Wilson
STAR STAFF
twilson@starhq.com

   The multimillion-dollar Powerball game rolls into Tennessee on Monday with a potential payday to turn players into millionaires on the bounce of a ball. Not surprisingly, the millions have generated renewed interest for the Tennessee Lottery.
   "We've had a lot of people inquire about it so there's a lot of interest in it," said Kathy Oliver, co-owner of Lighthouse Tobacco & Mini Mart in Elizabethton. Oliver's store is one of 23 retailers in Carter County licensed to sell lottery tickets.
   The multi-state lotto game gives players a chance to win one of nine different cash prizes, including a jackpot frequently in the millions of dollars. But don't pick out that Ferrari just yet. The estimated odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are 120,526,770 to 1.
   To play the Powerball game, players ante up $1 per ticket by selecting five numbers, each from 1 to 53, plus a sixth number from 1 to 42 -- the Powerball. In addition to the multimillion-dollar Jackpot, players have a chance to win eight other prizes, from $3 to $100,000. Players can win $100,000 by matching the five numbers without the Powerball. Overall odds of winning a prize are 1 in 36.
   And, for an additional $1 per play, there is also a Power Play option, which can multiply the non-jackpot winnings by two to five times -- meaning that Power Play participants can win up to $500,000.
   "Powerball is a proven favorite of Tennesseans who have been anticipating its arrival since a lottery was created in the state," said Rebecca Paul, CEO and president of the Tennessee Lottery, in a statement released Saturday. "The game also creates additional opportunities for our retail partners, from the excitement it will build among customers to the $25,000 bonus available for a lucky retailer who sells a winning Jackpot ticket."
   Tennessee Education Lottery joined the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL), a non-profit, government-benefit association owned and operated by its 30 member lotteries that run the Powerball game.
   The Tennessee Education Lottery presented nearly $64 million to the state on Thursday as part of what will be a regular quarterly transfer of funds raised from lottery ticket sales. The Tennessee Lottery is striving to raise at least $88 million by July 1 in order to fund scholarships for an estimated 65,000 students expected to attend Tennessee colleges and universities this fall.
   Lottery sales representatives have been working with retailers across the state in preparation for launch day. In addition to hands-on, in-store training, sales team members are delivering "How to Play" brochures, Powerball playslips, and colorful red and purple signage to more than 4,000 retailers.
   Oliver said a lottery sales representative met with her and the store employees recently. "They gave us the five minute lowdown on it," said Oliver.
   The state began selling scratch-off tickets on Jan. 20. Oliver said scratch-off tickets had continued to sell well, but sales of the Cash 3 game tickets, launched March 1, were lackluster. Oliver said most customers were waiting for the Powerball.
   "The pick 3 doesn't seem to be a great demand," she said, "but most people said they were waiting for the big powerball to come."
   Powerball drawings are held on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 9:59 p.m. CST (10:59 p.m. EST). Drawings will be held at 10 p.m. CST (11 p.m. EST) on official Tennessee Lottery networks throughout the state.
   May have to cut all the following
   Carter County locations where Tennessee Lottery tickets are sold:
   Appco Convenience Center #32, 348 Broad & Elm streets
   Appco Convenience Center #40, 321 U.S. Highway 19E
   Big G Supermart, 308 W. G Street
   Blue Circle Market, 101 Broad Street.
   Food City #631, 920 Broad Street.
   Lighthouse Tobacco & Mini-mart, 1933 W. ELK Avenue
   Maupin's Exxon, 701 Broad Street
   Quickstop Markets #20, 2404 W. Elk Avenue
   Racetrack Raceway Convenience, 704 Broad Street
   Roadrunner Market #116, 725 W. G Street
   Roadrunner Market #141, 416 State Highway 91
   Sunoco #2370, 525 State Highway 91
   Sunshine Market, 825 N. Lynn Avenue
   Volunteer Mart, 1142 State Highway 91
   Weaver's Self Service, 1582 Blue Springs Road
   West Elk Citgo, 821 W. Elk Avenue
   Winn Dixie #2190, 151 Hudson Street
   Winn Dixie #2193, 1729 U.S. Highway 19E
   Mountain View Beverage, 5490 U.S. Highway 19E, Hampton
   Quickstop Markets #28, 110 First Avenue, Hampton
   Roadrunner Market #122, 4953 Highway 11, Hampton
   Appco Convenience Center #24, 8166 U.S. Highway 19E, Roan Mountain
   Beer Wash, 8912 Highway 19E, Roan Mountain