Jackson Man wins $1 Million in TN Lottery
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A Jackson man is $1 million richer after scratching off a jackpot winning ticket in the Tennessee Lottery‘s “Millionaire Jumbo Bucks” game. According to workers at the Old Medina Market, Thomas Ridenhour bought the ticket Friday and, after scratching it off and seeing it was a winner, he nearly passed out. Ridenhour went to the Lottery‘s Nashville headquarters Tuesday morning and claimed his prize. He became the 100th winner of $1 million or more in the Tennessee Lottery. Lottery officials stated that Mr. Ridenhour, who works at Lowes in Jackson, accepted the hoopla and extra attention surrounding his noteworthy win with good spirits. “This is truly a blessing,” said Mr. Ridenhour, who lost a leg three years ago due to a spider bite. “This will provide some financial relief and give me the extra cushion I will need hopefully for a long time.” Lottery President and CEO Rebecca Hargrove and dozens of Lottery employees were on-hand to help celebrate the occasion. “Winning a million dollars in the lottery is everyone‘s dream,” said Ms. Hargrove. “And with 100 winning tickets so far, that dream comes true more often than most people ever imagine. We‘re proud of the many scholarships funded by the Lottery, but for sheer enjoyment, nothing beats handing over a big check to a lucky winner.” There have been a lot of big winning checks since the Lottery‘s inception in January 2004. Though the 100 winning tickets of a million dollars or more represent the largest single prizes, Lottery players in Tennessee have won more than $5.6 billion in prizes since the Lottery began. Although some of the games that featured prizes of $1 million or more are no longer available, other games have taken their place, and the Lottery will always offer a variety of ways to win at least one million dollars or more. Of the 100 tickets, 37 were from Powerball, followed by 20 from “Tennessee Millionaires Club,” an instant-ticket game no longer on sale. Eight wins (including Mr. Ridenhour‘s) were from “Millionaire Jumbo Bucks,” and four were from the multi-state lotto game, “Mega Millions.” The Lottery has even awarded $1 million through its Play It Again! program, which gives players a chance to win cash prizes by entering non-winning instant tickets at tnlottery.com.
