Lottery's first day a success, especially for two

Jan 21, 2004, 5:30 am (Post a comment)

Tennessee Lottery

Tennessee Lottery officials called Tuesday's launch of lottery instant-ticket sales a success, with "brisk" sales at retailers across the state.

Opening day's two largest prize winners, at $7,000 each, were from the Memphis end of the state: Jimmy Fowler of Jackson, and Daniel Young of Horn Lake, Miss., according to the lottery headquarters.

Fowler said Tuesday night that the five $1 "Lucky 7's" tickets he bought at the Greyhound Bus Terminal in Jackson shortly after noon were the first lottery tickets he ever purchased and he was "shaking in my boots when the lady behind me told me I had won."

Fowler, 58, an employee at Jackson's Sonoco plant, said he's going to buy a $500 sofa for a daughter in Detroit, textbooks for another daughter at Tennessee State University and bank the rest.

Officials reported relatively few glitches across the state at about 3,500 lottery retailers, but Memphis merchant H. J. Todd was one of them. While most competitors received delivery of their tickets Monday, several hours in advance of the 12:01 a.m. Tuesday opening of sales, Todd was still awaiting delivery of his tickets Tuesday afternoon at his Tobacco for Less store at 4520 Summer.

"I'd say I probably lost $1,000 today. The first customer I had wanted $120 worth of tickets. The second wanted $40 worth. I've been on the phone six times today with my local (lottery) sales rep and with the lottery headquarters in Nashville, but I still haven't gotten my tickets," Todd said late Tuesday afternoon.

Lottery spokesman Kym Gerlock said officials were working to resolve problems reported at about 4 percent of the 3,500 retailers.

"There were some people who didn't get their tickets who should have. There were people who had tickets but not machines to validate them on. We apologize for any inconvenience, but overall we're very pleased," Gerlock said.

The lottery won't have first-day sales figures until this morning, but Tennessee Education Lottery Board chairman Dennis Bottorff told a legislative committee that sales were "brisk."

"I'd say the startup has been stellar. I wouldn't say it has been flawless. A handful of retailers didn't have tickets. Some didn't have terminals to validate them. A small number is to be expected. We believe we've had one of the fastest and most effective startups in the history of U.S. lottery startups," Bottorff told the Senate State and Local Government Committee.

The committee unanimously recommended legislative confirmation of all seven Lottery Board members late Tuesday. Its chairman, Sen. Steve Cohen, D-Memphis, said he expects the full General Assembly to confirm the appointees, all named last summer by Gov. Phil Bredesen.

Go Memphis

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