Big Spin® 2000 Contestants Are Thankful for More Than $300,000 in Prizes

11.20.1999
Big Spin® 2000 Contestants Are Thankful for More Than $300,000 in Prizes

SACRAMENTO -- California Lottery's "Big Spin® 2000" show airs Saturday November 20, 1999 in twelve television markets statewide. Contestants on this week's show won a total of $317,500.

Mario Pena, a car salesperson of Los Angeles had a winning Scratchers® with three "Spin" symbols on it. He had passed his normal store and went into another to buy his ticket. This ticket won him a direct trip to the largest prize wheel in the world. Once at the wheel, Pena spun and won $25,000. "I'm going to put a down payment on a house, go on vacation, and enjoy this beautiful country," said Pena.

Two contestants had a chance to make their fantasies come true. Randy Wold of Cypress and Thomas Peterman of San Diego. Wold waited with anticipation as the audience chanted, "Go Randy, Go Randy...." Wold's first ball dropped was for $20,000, the second for $30,000 and Wold finished off with his last ball dropping in the $40,000 slot. Wold's decided to stop and won a combined total of $90,000. "My beautiful wife and I would love to remodel our kitchen and take a vacation to the West Coast," said Wold. Fantasy 5's next contestant, Peterman said, "I plan on buying a home and putting a little away for retirement." Peterman won $85,000 and very elated.

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 Rene Anaya, a store manager from Anaheim. Anaya launched the ball and won $70,000. High Roller contestant Terry Loredo of Murrieta won $5,000.

This week's California Gold contestants won a combined total of $42,500. The top California Gold winner was Christopher Ferraris, a store field consultant from Brea. Ferraris hit the Motherload and won $20,000. Ferraris plans to use his prize money for his children's college education. 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
Randy Wold	Cypress	$ 90,000
Thomas Peterman	San Diego	$ 85,000
Rene Anaya	Anaheim	$ 70,000
Mario Pena	Los Angeles	$ 25,000
Christopher Ferraris	Brea	$ 20,000
Terry Loredo	Murrieta	$ 5,000
Other California Gold Winners		$ 22,500
		TOTAL $317,500

- # # # -

1999 4th Quarter Press Releases: Article