A Bus Driver with a Lucky Charm Scores $75,000

06.12.1999
A Bus Driver with a Lucky Charm Scores $75,000

SACRAMENTO -- The new California Lottery's "Big Spin® 2000" show airs Saturday June 12, 1999 in twelve television markets statewide. Contestants on this week's show won a total of $228,000.

Paul Griffin, a city bus driver from San Leandro, wore his lucky 'dream catcher' on the show; the same dream catcher he was wearing when he bought his winning ticket and met his fiancée in the same week. Griffin said it was "one fantastic Valentine's week, very special." Griffin plans to use part of the $75,000 he won to buy a house, get married, and put some of it away for his children.

This week's show hosted one Fantasy 5 contestant, Nasim Dashti, an accounting graduate from Cal State, Northridge. Dashti plans to pay for graduate school and take a vacation with part of the $55,000 win.

Jorge Ortiz Pardo, a meat cutter from North Highlands was this week's top Fame and Fortune winner. Pardo won $42,500 and plans to use his prize for his children's college education. Other winners were Patricia Wong from Oakland winning $8,000 and Faustino Rodriguez from Gilroy winning $5,000.

Sonia Lorenzo, an R.N. from Mountain View said, "Now I can buy my dream car!" Lorenzo got her winning California Gold Scratchers® as a gift from her aunt. Lorenzo's gift turned into $20,000 when she spun the largest prize wheel in the world.

The California Lottery sells its products through a network of more than 18,000 outlets statewide. The Lottery provides 52 percent of its revenues to players as prizes, 34 percent to public schools, and 14 percent for administrative expenses, which includes 6.8 percent for retailer commissions. Since 1985, the Lottery has raised more than $10 billion for public schools and has provided an annual average of approximately 38 percent of the Lottery's total revenues to schools. The California Lottery's contribution equals approximately 2 percent of the state's total education budget. "Big Spin® 2000" is the longest running Lottery game show in the country, airing continuously since 1985.

NAME	CITY	AMOUNT
Paul W. Griffin	San Leandro	$ 75,000
Nasim Dashti	West L.A.	$ 55,000
Jorge Ortiz Pardo	North Highlands	$ 42,500
Sonia Lorenzo	Mountain View	$ 20,000
Other California Gold Winners		$ 22,500
		TOTAL $228,500

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1999 2nd Quarter Press Releases: Article