Tennessee Lottery Games
Founded in 2004, the Tennessee Lottery participates in numerous multi-jurisdictional lotteries, as well as operating a range of locally run games for the chance to win significant sums of money every day.
Tennessee Lottery proceeds are distributed to the education sector through scholarships, study grants, after-school programs and energy-efficient school initiatives.
Powerball
Powerball is a world-famous lottery renowned for its long odds and often lucrative jackpots.
Powerball tickets cost $2.00, with players choosing five numbers between 1 and 69 plus a Powerball number between 1 and 26. Players can choose their numbers manually or go for a Quick Pick if they like. A Power Play option is also available, costing $1.00 for the chance to multiply non-jackpot prizes by up to 10 times.
Players can add Double Play to their ticket for an additional $1.00 using the same set of chosen numbers, for an extra draw with a $10 million jackpot.
Mega Millions
Mega Millions is another world-renowned lottery that's even harder to win than Powerball, but with a very similar format.
As with Powerball, tickets cost $2.00.
Players must choose five numbers between 1 and 70 and a Mega Ball number between 1 and 25, with a Quick Pick option also being available for random selections. Mega Millions has an additional Megaplier option for $1.00, for the chance to multiply non-jackpot prizes by up to 10 times.
Lotto America
Lotto America is a popular multi-jurisdictional game that is available in 13 states.
Entry costs $1.00, with players choosing five numbers from 1 to 52 and a Star Ball from 1 to 10. Quick Picks are available for random selections.
For an additional $1.00, players can add the All-Star Bonus Multiplier to boost non-jackpot prizes by up to five times.
Participants can also add Quick Cash to their ticket for another $1.00, for the chance to win up to $500 on the spot.
Cash4Life
Cash4Life is a popular lottery game played across nine states, giving players the chance to win $1,000 a day (paid out as $365,000 annually) for the rest of their lives, or the option to take home a $7 million lump sum.
Tickets cost $2.00, with players choosing five main numbers from 1 to 60 and a Cash Ball number between 1 and 4. Quick Picks are also available for those who prefer to play with random selections.
Participants can also add Quick Cash to their ticket for another $1.00, for the chance to win up to $500 on the spot.
KENO To Go
KENO To Go has multiple entry and stake-based options.
Players must decide on how many numbers to match from 1 to 10, before choosing the relevant number of selections between 1 and 80. Quick Picks are available for random selections, with participants needing to choose a stake of $1.00, $2.00, $3.00, $4.00, $5.00 or $10.
Participants can add Bulls-Eye to their ticket, to double the stake, win enhanced prizes and gain access to additional prize tiers.
The maximum available prize is $300,000, irrespective of initial stakes or whether Bulls-Eye was chosen.
Tennessee Cash
Tennessee Cash is a straightforward lottery that costs $1.00 to enter.
Players must choose five numbers from 1 to 35 plus a CASH BALL number from 1 to 5. Alternatively, Quick Picks are available for the main or CASH BALL numbers.
Participants can also add Quick Cash to their ticket for another $1.00, for the chance to win up to $500 on the spot.
Cash 4
Cash 4 is a Pick 4 game with multiple entry options, with stakes of $0.50 and $1.00 being available.
Players must choose four numbers from 0 to 9, and because each number is chosen independently, the same number can be chosen repeatedly if desired. Participants then choose whether to bet on matching their numbers in the order drawn, in any order, or to split a $1.00 stake equally between both options.
Players can also choose a Combo entry for a ticket with every possible combination of the four player-chosen numbers. This increases the chances of winning, but entry can cost up to $24.
Finally, players can add a Wild Ball to their ticket to double the stake. The Wild Ball number is drawn after each game and can be used as a replacement number when the result is only a single digit away from winning a prize. Although adding the Wild Ball improves prize-winning odds, prizes will be paid out at a lower value.
Cash 3
Cash 3 is a Pick 3 game with multiple entry options, with stakes of $0.50 and $1.00 being available.
Players must choose three numbers from 0 to 9, and because each number is chosen independently, the same number can be chosen repeatedly if desired. Participants then choose whether to bet on matching their numbers in the order drawn, in any order, or to split a $1.00 stake equally between both options.
There is also the option to choose a Combo entry for a ticket with every possible combination of the three player-chosen numbers. Although this increases the chances of winning, entry can cost up to $6.00.
Players can also add a Wild Ball to their ticket to double the stake. The Wild Ball number is drawn after each game and can be used as a replacement number when the result is only a single digit away from winning a prize. Although adding the Wild Ball improves prize-winning odds, prizes will be paid out at a lower value.
Tennessee Lottery Game Schedule
The table below provides an overview of the schedule for each Tennessee lottery game.
| Lottery Game | MON | TUE | WED | THU | FRI | SAT | SUN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mega Millions | 22:00 | 22:00 | |||||
| Powerball | 22:00 | 22:00 | 22:00 | ||||
| Lotto America | 22:30 | 22:30 | |||||
| Cash4Life | 20:00 | 20:00 | 20:00 | 20:00 | 20:00 | 20:00 | 20:00 |
| KENO To Go | Every four minutes | ||||||
| Tennessee Cash | 22:30 | 22:30 | 22:30 | ||||
| Cash 4 | 09:28 12:28 18:28 | 09:28 12:28 18:28 | 09:28 12:28 18:28 | 09:28 12:28 18:28 | 09:28 12:28 18:28 | 09:28 12:28 18:28 | 18:28 |
| Cash 3 | 09:28 12:28 18:28 | 09:28 12:28 18:28 | 09:28 12:28 18:28 | 09:28 12:28 18:28 | 09:28 12:28 18:28 | 09:28 12:28 18:28 | 18:28 |
Tennessee Lottery Odds and Jackpots
Although Cash 3 has the best odds, the most lucrative jackpots can be obtained through Mega Millions and Powerball. Cash4Life has highly attractive odds for the prize on offer, particularly compared to Lotto America with its longer odds and far lower minimum jackpot.
| Lottery Game | Winning Odds | Minimum Jackpot |
|---|---|---|
| Mega Millions | 1 in 302,575,350 | $40 million |
| Powerball | 1 in 292,201,338 | $40 million |
| Lotto America | 1 in 25,989,600 | $2 million |
| Cash4Life | 1 in 21,846,048 | $1,000 a day for life ($7 million if players take the lump-sum option) |
| KENO To Go | 1 in 8,911,711 | $100,000 |
| Tennessee Cash | 1 in 1,623,160 | Depends on ticket sales |
| Cash 4 | 1 in 10,000 | $2,500 |
| Cash 3 | 1 in 1,000 | $250 |
Tennessee Lottery Advance Play Options
All Tennessee Lottery games have Advance Play options, with the number of draws that can be entered at once being highlighted in the table below.
| Lottery Game | No. of Advance Draws Players Can Enter |
|---|---|
| Cash 3 | Up to 7 |
| Cash 4 | Up to 7 |
| Powerball | Up to 10 |
| Mega Millions | Up to 10 |
| Lotto America | Up to 10 |
| Tennessee Cash | Up to 12 |
| Cash4Life | Up to 14 |
| KENO To Go | Up to 20 |
Tennessee Lottery Scratch-Offs
Known as Instant Games in Tennessee, scratch-offs can pay out multiple prizes, with jackpots typically being proportional to the cost of the scratch-off itself.
Tennessee Lottery scratch-offs range inprice from $1.00 to $30, with jackpots ranging from $500 to $4 million!
Lower-priced games have winning odds of around 1 in 5, with more lucrative games having winning odds of around 1 in 3.
Instant Games are removed from sale once all top prizes have been claimed.
Detailed information about scratch-offs, prize tiers, payouts and odds is available on the official Tennessee Lottery website .
Tennessee Lottery Tax Information
The tables below highlight taxes payable on Tennessee Lottery prizes.
Tennessee Lottery Taxes for U.S. citizens and residents amount to 24% on prizes over $5,000, as detailed below.
| Prize Value | Tax | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Over $5,000 | Federal Taxes | 24% |
Tennessee Lottery Taxes for non-U.S. citizens or non-residents amount to 30% on all prizes over $5,000, as detailed below.
| Prize Value | Tax | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Over $5,000 | Federal Taxes | 30% |
How to Claim Tennessee Lottery Payouts
There are multiple ways that winnings can be collected in Tennessee.
Prizes of $600 or less can be claimed:
- At Tennessee Lottery Retailers
- At any Tennessee Lottery Claim Center
- By mail
Prizes between $600 and $200,000 can be claimed:
- At any Tennessee Lottery Claim Center
- By mail
Prizes over $200,000 must be claimed at Tennessee Lottery Headquarters.
All claims for prizes over $600 must include the signed winning lottery ticket, a copy of a valid photo ID, proof of social security number and a completed claim form .
How to Contact the Tennessee Lottery
| Operator | Games | Official Website | Main Address | Local Tel. No. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee Lottery | Powerball Mega Millions Lotto America Cash4Life Tennessee Cash KENO To Go Cash 4 Cash 3 | https://tnlottery.com/ | 26 Century Blvd., Suite 200, Nashville, TN 37214, USA | 1-615-324-6500 |
Which Tennessee Lottery scratch-off has the biggest jackpot?
Although the value of the most lucrative Tennessee Lottery scratch-offs change on a periodic basis, the biggest jackpot is typically around $4 million.
Can I buy Tennessee Lottery tickets online?
No, tickets are only sold at authorized Tennessee Lottery retailers.
How much tax is paid on Tennessee Lottery winnings?
Taxation on Tennessee Lottery winnings depends on player residency and citizenship. Note that Tennessee is just one of a handful of U.S. states that doesn't levy state taxes on lottery gains.
For U.S. citizens and residents, 24% federal tax is levied on all Tennessee Lottery prizes over $5,000.
Non-U.S. citizens or non-residents pay 30% federal tax on all prizes over $5,000.
How do Tennessee Lottery winners get paid?
Some Tennessee lottery games pay in regular installments or lump sums, while others pay out lump sums only.
How long does it take to receive Tennessee Lottery winnings?
All prizes claimed in person at Tennessee Lottery Retailers, Tennessee Lottery Claim Centers or Tennessee Lottery Headquarters are typically paid out the same day.
All prizes claimed by mail will be processed in the order received. Although the Tennessee Lottery does not establish a specific timeline for payouts, players can expect to wait up to a month for winnings.
How is the $1,000 a day Cash4Life jackpot paid out?
Players who win the Cash4Life jackpot will receive an annual payment of $365,000 for the rest of their lives, or a lump sum of $7 million.
If there are multiple jackpot winners, a lump sum of $7 million is split between them.
