The Tennessee Lottery’s “Play It Again!” program awarded more than $3.6 million to 14 Tennesseans this week, with prizes ranging from $1,000 to $2 million. Players win by entering non-winning instant tickets online.
Misty Moses, a restaurant manager from Benton who won $500,000, arrived with her entire immediate family, all of whom were thrilled. Ms. Moses said she will invest and pay bills with her prize.
“There was no way in the world I ever thought this would be me,” said Russell Holladay, a road project employee from Huntingdon who was one of five winners of $200,000 each. “I’m going to hug your neck!” he told Lottery President and CEO Rebecca Hargrove, who notifies the winners by telephone and is on-hand to award the special prizes.
Lea Garcia of Maryville, a paralegal and massage therapist who also won $200,000, said she will pay off student loans with part of her winnings. And who knows? She might open her own therapy practice one day, she said.
Yet another $200,000 winner, shoe salesman Robert Simpson of Hermitage, had fun with Ms. Hargrove discussing shoes and what he might do with his prize. “This puts a reset button on my finances,” he told her, as wife Sheila stood by wiping tears from her eyes.
Vincent Warr, a security guard from Chattanooga, differed from most of the winners because he had “no doubt” he would get the magic phone call. “I’ve been waiting, and I knew this day would come,” he told Ms. Hargrove as she presented him with a ceremonial $200,000 “big check.”
To “Play it Again,” players visit tnvipsuite.com and become a VIP Players Suite member (free). Once registered, players can scan non-winning instant tickets with the TN Lottery phone app or enter online. By entering tickets, VIP Members also receive points to enter drawings for a variety of merchandise, travel packages, and more.