Everything we found in Tennessee
Each fact below names its official source and the day we checked it: the Tennessee Lottery’s own pages, the Department of Revenue, powerball.com and the IRS. Pools can be created in every state that runs a lottery; Tennessee is open.
Is a private pool legal here?
The Tennessee Lottery’s FAQ answers the group question directly. Asked “Can a group of people share a prize?” it says: “Yes, Lottery prizes can be shared. Winners can decide how to share the prize before they claim it.”
How the lottery handles a group: Tennessee pays one claimant; the agreement names who claims and how the pool splits it. The Tennessee Education Lottery issues one check for any prize; it accepts IRS Form 5754 for a group. (Tennessee Education Lottery FAQ, checked Oct 5, 2026)
In plain words, the lottery leaves the split to the group. Group purchase limits: None found in the rules we read (not yet verified). Ask the lottery directly about a large group order.
ShareTheWinning is free, takes no cut of tickets or prizes and never holds money. Whether a particular arrangement is lawful is a question for counsel, not for us.
Minimum age
18 or older (Lottery game page, checked Oct 1, 2026). The age applies to buying and to redeeming a ticket. Members confirm their age when they join a pool.
Where tickets are sold
At Tennessee Lottery retailers, and through the lottery’s own app. The iLottery FAQ: “Currently, Powerball, Mega Millions, KENO To Go, Cash 3 and Cash 4 are available for purchase through the TN iLottery Official App.” To buy online a player must meet the minimum age, have a verified account and be “physically located in Tennessee at the time of purchase.” The lottery calls its app “the only officially authorized online Tennessee Lottery retailer.” It does not publish a separate rule on ticket courier services; ask the lottery directly.
- Powerball multi-draw: Up to 10 drawings per ticket (Tennessee Education Lottery Powerball page, checked Oct 5, 2026).
- Mega Millions multi-draw: Up to 10 drawings per ticket (Tennessee Education Lottery Mega Millions page, checked Oct 5, 2026).
Powerball’s Double Play add-on is offered in Tennessee; powerball.com’s Double Play page lists it among the 30 lotteries that offer it.
Claim deadlines
180 days after the drawing (Tennessee Lottery FAQ, checked Oct 8, 2026). A mailed claim counts by its postmark.
Where to claim depends on the prize:
- Under $600: any Tennessee Lottery retailer, or by mail. No claim form is needed; include your contact details.
- $600 up to $200,000: by mail with the signed ticket (no copies), a claim form, a copy of a valid ID and proof of your Social Security number, or in person at any of the four claim centers.
- $200,000 or more: in person at the Nashville Headquarters.
Prizes won in the app work differently: under $600 goes straight into the account, and $600 or more is claimed at a district office with a photo ID and proof of Social Security number.
Can winners stay anonymous?
No. The Tennessee Lottery releases a winner's name, home state and hometown when it receives an eligible request. (Tennessee Lottery FAQ, checked Oct 8, 2026) The lottery cites the Tennessee Education Lottery Implementation Law for this rule.
Taxes
- State withholding: None: the lottery withholds no state tax (State withholding table, checked Oct 1, 2026). Tennessee’s last individual income tax is gone too; the Department of Revenue says the Hall income tax “was repealed for tax periods that begin on January 1, 2021, or later.”
- Federal: The lottery withholds 24% federal tax when a prize minus the wager is more than $5,000. A prize of $2,000 or more is reported to the IRS on Form W-2G. (IRS Form W-2G instructions, checked Oct 1, 2026) The final federal tax is settled on your return.
- Debts: group members are subject to “debt setoff withholdings,” per the lottery’s group answer.
When a group shares one winning ticket, the IRS instructions say “The payer is required to file Forms W-2G based on Form 5754,” so each member receives their own W-2G; see How a pool claims a prize. The split calculator applies Tennessee’s state rate.
Claim offices
All four claim centers take walk-in claims Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. local time.
- Nashville Headquarters: 26 Century Blvd., Suite 200, Nashville, TN 37214. Phone (615) 324-6500.
- Knoxville: Cedar Springs Shopping Center, 9298 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37922. Phone (865) 251-1900.
- Chattanooga: 2020 Gunbarrel Rd., Suite 106, Chattanooga, TN 37421. Phone (423) 308-3610.
- Memphis: Chiles Plaza, 7424 U.S. Highway 64, Suite 104, Memphis, TN 38133. Phone (901) 322-8520.
Mail claims to P.O. Box 290636, Nashville, TN 37229-0636; the lottery encourages registered mail. Player Services: 1-877-786-7529 inside Tennessee, 615-254-4946 from outside. Official site: tnlottery.com.
How our pool record helps in Tennessee
However a prize is paid, the group’s own record carries the weight of the split. In a ShareTheWinning pool the members, shares and confirmed payments lock before the ticket is bought; the ticket is photographed and recorded before the drawing; and every change afterward is a new entry, never an edit. When a prize reaches the threshold for Tennessee ($600 by default), the round goes on hold and we preserve an export bundle for the lottery, the accountant and, if it ever comes to it, a court.
The “If we win” stop on the Journey shows Tennessee’s deadline and privacy rule beside your numbers. For the first 48 hours after a win, read You won. The first five things to do.
