Brawley Resident Wins $1 Million - Actor Ricardo Montalban Presents "Hero In Education" Award, And The New "High Rollers" Game Debuts

11.06.1999
Brawley Resident Wins $1 Million - Actor Ricardo Montalban Presents "Hero In Education" Award, And The New "High Rollers" Game Debuts

SACRAMENTO -- The new California Lottery's "Big Spin® 2000" show airs Saturday November 6, 1999 in twelve television markets statewide. Contestants on this week's show won a total of $1,167,500.

A special appearance by film star Ricardo Montalban highlights the California Lottery's "Hero In Education" program. This months award went to Frank and Monica Victorio of Sacramento who run a program to assist at risk children from their home. Their Moral Values Program assisted numerous children in education.

"I just can't believe it, this is great!" said Maria Cervantes after spinning the largest prize wheel in the world and winning $1 million. Cervantes of Brawley, works in the agricultural industry and plans to use her prize money for her children's education and to buy a house.

The newest Big Spin® 2000 game, "High Roller," debuts on this week's show. In the High Roller game, a ball will go shooting down the ramp on a wild ride across the tracks and back until it finally comes to rest in one of the six valleys. Contestants are randomly assigned colors to represent the valleys in the roller coaster. When the ball is launched and stops in one of the valleys, that contestant whose color is in the valley will roll on to play for $150,000. This week's top "High Roller" contestant was Carol Duncan, a student from Claremont. Ernest Duncan, Carol's father and proxy for Carol Duncan won $80,000 for his daughter. Duncan plans to use her prize money to go on to law school. High Roller contestant Quiana Stallworth from Modesto won $5,000.

This week's California Gold contestants won a combined total of $82,500. The top California Gold winner was Anna Morra, a housekeeper from Castroville. Morra won $60,000 and plans to use her prize money to travel. Other California Gold contestants won a total of $22,500.

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 $11 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
Maria Cervantes	Brawley	$ 1,000,000
Carol Duncan	Claremont	$ 80,000
Anna Morra	Castroville	$ 60,000
Quiana Stallworth	Modesto	$ 5,000
Other California Gold Winners		$ 22,500
		TOTAL $ 1,167,500

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1999 4th Quarter Press Releases: Article