KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Since it began more than 20 years ago, the Tennessee Lottery has raised $7 billion dollars and helped more than two million students through scholarships and grants.

Rebecca Paul, president of the Tennessee Lottery Corporation, said those playing the lottery are helping to “keep Tennessee’s best and brightest in the state,” even those playing games other than Powerball.

Paul told WATE that all profits from any Tennessee Lottery game go to fund educational programs. There are 15 programs that are funded by the Tennessee Lottery, such as the Tennessee Promise Program, Helping Hero Scholarship and the Tennessee Hope Scholarships, Paul said.

While Powerball may be the game many are most familiar with when it comes to the lottery, Paul said 80 percent of the profits come from instant tickets, where the player scratches the card to find out if they won or not.

That does not mean that Powerball players are less important.

Paul added that the money brought in from Powerball over time helps, especially since the current jackpot of an estimated $750 million is the 10th largest jackpot ever in the United States and the sixth largest Powerball jackpot.

$900 million of the $7 billion funded by the Tennessee Lottery was brought in by Powerball.

For those who play Powerball, Paul said to check your ticket even if you do not win the jackpot. There are nine different ways to win.

https://www.wate.com/news/tennessee/tennessee-lottery-helps-over-2-million-students/