Fantasy 5™ Contestants Win Combined Total Of $170,000

11.13.1999
Fantasy 5™ Contestants Win Combined Total Of $170,000

SACRAMENTO -- California Lottery's "Big Spin® 2000" show airs Saturday November 13, 1999 in twelve television markets statewide. Contestants on this week's show won a total of $297,500.

Mario Rodriguez, a Landscaper from Petaluma had a winning Scratchers® with three "Spin" symbols on it. This won him a direct trip to the largest prize wheel in the world. Once at the wheel, Rodriguez got a "triple", which entitled him another spin at the wheel and triple that amount. He spun again and it landed on $20,000, which gave him a combined total of $60,000. Rodriguez plans to use his prize money as a down payment on a house and to help his family.

Two Fantasy 5 contestants had a chance to make their fantasies come true. Art Siminoff of Palmdale and Victor Mejia of Los Angeles. Siminoff said, "I'm going to buy a house." And Siminoff will be able to do that with his $90,000 win. Mejia, who is a sales manager, will be giving his mother a very nice birthday present and will be taking a vacation with his $80,000 prize money.

On the newest Big Spin® 2000 game, "High Roller," 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 Jean Moreira, a homemaker from Hayward. "I'm going to ride that coaster," said Moreira. Moreira launched the ball and won $10,000. Moreira is not sure how she will spend her prize money. High Roller contestant Oliver Metcalf of Los Angeles won $5,000.

This week's California Gold contestants won a combined total of $52,500. The top California Gold winner was Leonardo Villa, a counter attendant from Los Angeles. Villa hit the Motherload and won $30,000. Villa plans to use his prize money to visit family he hasn't seen in years. 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
Art Siminoff	Palmdale	$ 90,000
Victor Mejia	Los Angeles	$ 80,000
Mario Rodriguez	Petaluma	$ 60,000
Leonardo Villa	Los Angeles	$ 30,000
Jean Moreira	Hayward	$ 10,000
Oliver Metcalf	Los Angeles	$ 5,000
Other California Gold Winners		$ 22,500
		TOTAL $297,500

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1999 4th Quarter Press Releases: Article