The Tennessee Lottery is moving swiftly to sign up retail outlets across Tennessee that want to be part of the lottery's kickoff on or before February 10, officials said.
After approving the first two dozen retailers late last week, the Lottery's group of retail outlets had grown to nearly 2,000 by early Wednesday.
"As the approval process kicks into overdrive, we're adding retailers on a daily and even hourly basis," said Rebecca Paul, president and CEO of the Tennessee Lottery.
Authorized retailers include corporate partners like Mapco Express, Mr. Zip and Roadrunner Markets, as well as scores of independent operators from Memphis to Mountain City.
Paul encouraged Tennessee retailers that haven't yet turned in their applications to do so immediately if they want to be part of the initial kickoff in just 62 days. "With startup just around the corner, there's a lot of work to be done in a relatively short period of time," she said. "We need adequate time to process approvals and install equipment."
Retailers seeking more information can download an application packet online or call (615) 253-6881 to receive a packet by mail.
"Building a strong retail network at startup is vital to the future performance of any successful lottery," Paul said.
"We're looking forward to working with our retail partners to provide benefits for education for students and fun for players in Tennessee."
The Lottery is charged with raising 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 next fall.
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