Tennessee couple claiming to be Powerball winners interviewed on Today show

The pair from Munford, Tennessee, appeared with their lawyer Joe Townsend on NBS’s “Today” programme on Friday.

The Robinsons were joined Friday afternoon by their attorney, their daughter, and their dog as they went public with Tennessee lottery officials. “They want to let the public know they’re the winners”.

They bought four tickets at a local market on their way home before the drawing Wednesday night. “I’m nervous for you”, one of the show’s hosts said to Mr Robinson, who held the piece of paper in his hand throughout the show.

The couple said they had not had time to think about how they would spend the money, though they plan to pay off their daughter’s student loans. “We didn’t get any sleep”.

The potential ticket has not been verified by lottery officials, according to the national show. There were three winning tickets in Wednesday’s record-breaking drawing, sold in California, Tennessee and Florida. “‘John! John! You gotta check these numbers!” she said. The couple is in their middle 50s, neighbors said.

Lottery spokeswoman Rachel Petrie said she couldn’t confirm the Robinsons had won. He said he was told the nurse’s son sent her a cellphone picture of a ticket.

“That’s what we’ve done all our lives, is work”, John Robinson said.

Lisa Robinson described the moment she realized they had the winning ticket, while her husband napped on the couch.

Tennessee Lottery officials said earlier that the winning tickets was sold at Naifeh’s, which received a $25,000 payoff.

After the TV interview, the couple then returned to Nashville, Tennessee to claim the money, becoming the first of three winners to do so. The mother of two said she had always hoped for smaller jackpots when playing the lottery because she never sought out a lavish lifestyle in the past and “I don’t really want that now”. The California victor has until 5 pm PT Friday to claim the prize before the long weekend.

Angel Lawrence checked the numbers against copies they had made of the tickets. The family was in New York City Friday morning on network television, and then they went to Nashville to verify their ticket.

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