POWER PLAY DOUBLES WIN FOR KNOXVILLE PLAYER

NASHVILLE – On Sunday afternoon, May 16, former Air Force serviceman Harold Sweat telephoned one of his close friends and said he had “good news and bad news.” Sweat continued, “I won’t be retiring as a millionaire, but I did just win $200,000!”

Harold and his wife Jane, a RN, became the largest Tennessee Lottery prize winners to date when they claimed their prize today at the Lottery’s Nashville headquarters. The Sweats’ winning Powerball ticket contained the correct five numbers minus the Powerball number. This combination means a $100,000 win, but since he chose the Power Play option, Harold’s winnings were doubled by the multiplier (which was two).

Since Tennessee joined Powerball on April 19, there have been nine other $100,000 winners. The Sweats are the first $100,000 winners to multiply their winnings by using the Power Play option.

“I always play the Power Play,” said Harold. “It’s only one dollar extra per play, and it will at least double your winnings.”

Harold said the Tennessee Lottery slogan, “Just Imagine!” hits close to home. “I have been imagining this ever since the Lottery came to Tennessee. We will continue to play – if lightning can strike once, it can strike again!”

The Sweats said they plan to donate a portion of their winnings to their favorite charities, as well as trade in their vehicles for a new Harley-Davidson motorcycle for Harold, and a new truck for Jane. The remainder of their winnings be put into a savings account for the future.

Harold bought his winning ticket at Weigel’s, 100 Cedar Bluff Road, Knoxville. Along with the Sweats’ win, there were 41,433 additional winners from Saturday night’s Powerball drawing and 38,391 winners from Wednesday night’s drawing who purchased tickets from Tennessee Lottery retailers. The jackpot for this Saturday’s Powerball drawing is estimated at $33 million.

As with all Tennessee Lottery games, profits from Powerball tickets sold in Tennessee remain in the state and go to fund education programs. Most immediately, the Lottery is charged with raising at least $88 million by July 1 in order to fund scholarships for an estimated 65,000 students expected to attend Tennessee colleges and universities in the fall.