$2 Million "Extravaganza 2000" Winner Announced Actress Mindy Sterling Presents "Hero In Education" Award

03.11.2000
$2 Million "Extravaganza 2000" Winner Announced Actress Mindy Sterling Presents "Hero In Education" Award

SACRAMENTO -- California Lottery's "Big Spin 2000®" show airs Saturday, March 11, 2000 in twelve television markets statewide. Contestants on this week's show won a total of $2,210,000. California Lottery will announce the newest "Extravaganza 2000" winner on this week's show. The Extravaganza 2000 Scratchers® game is the newest way to win $2 million. The winner will receive $2,000 per week for the next 20 years, which totals over $2 million dollars. Dr. Ernst Katz, founder and conductor of the Jr. Philharmonic Orchestra received California Lottery's "Hero In Education" award. Comedian, actress Mindy Sterling, best known for her portrayal as "Frau Farbissina" on the Austin Powers series, presented Katz with the award on this week's show.

California Gold contestants won a total of $130,000. Palmdale resident Ellen Parkinson bought a winning Scratchers ticket that won her a direct trip to the Big Spin 2000 show. Once at the show, Parkinson won $60,000 as this week's top California Gold winner. Parkinson isn't sure what she wants to do with the money she won. Parkinson said she never imagined winning so much money and that she was just happy to make it to the show. Bernardino Palafox of South Gate was the next top California Gold winner with $25,000. Palafox plans to help family with the prize money. California Gold begins with 10 contestants whose Big Spin Scratchers tickets revealed three "TV Show" symbols on one ticket. When instructed, each player pushes down a "detonator" to reveal a prize ranging from $1,750 to $4,000. Two of the ten contestants will reveal gold nuggets and advance to the second round of play. Once there, they compete to see who can get closest to 10 units of gold in their mining car without going over. The winner of this round goes to the Big Spin prize wheel, while the other contestant wins $5,000.

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. 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
Extravaganza 2000 winner	To be announced	$2,080,000
Ellen Parkinson	Palmdale	$60,000
Bernardino Palafox	South Gate	$25,000
Other California Gold Winners		$45,000
		TOTAL $2,210,000

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2000 1st Quarter Press Releases: Article