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The Redemption Project Newsroom

Season 3: Systems Explained

The Lottery Ticket Says Education. Where Did Your $20 Really Go?

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Sep 26, 2026
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Tennessee has sold more than $33 billion in lottery tickets since 2004. Most of that money went back to players as prizes. Billions more went to education and retailers. The ticket is simple. The financial system behind it is not.

By Brandon L. Burley
The Redemption Project Newsroom | Follow the Dollar


The clerk takes the $20.

The machine prints the tickets.

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