Redondo Beach Resident Wins $115,000 Playing Fantasy 5™

05.13.2000
Redondo Beach Resident Wins $115,000 Playing Fantasy 5™

SACRAMENTO -- California Lottery's "Big Spin 2000" show airs Saturday, May 13, 2000 in twelve television markets statewide. Contestants on this week's show won a total of $382,500.

"I want to visit my relatives in Ohio," said Air Force Master Sergeant Ken Lester of Redondo Beach. Lester won $115,000 on the Fantasy 5 Dream Machine. Luz Banuelos of Huntington Park won $75,000 at her turn at the Dream Machine. Banuelos said, "I want to buy a car, help my family out and pay some bills." Cloverdale resident Catharine Edney will be graduating from University of California at Berkeley this month and considers her $55,000 prize a graduation present. Edney plans to open up a drug and alcohol rehabilitation program for pregnant women.

Javier Soto of Riverside got three "Spin" symbols on a "Big Spin 2000" Scratchers® ticket. That ticket got Soto a direct trip to the show. Once at the show, Soto spun the largest prize wheel in the world and won $50,000. Soto plans to take his six children to Disneyland and his family on vacation to New York.

Retired fleet service clerk William Stone of National City won $5,000 playing Big Spin 2000's newest game, High Roller. While San Gabriel resident Fabian Ojeda won $20,000. "I want to take my wife and two beautiful daughters to Hawaii," said Ojeda.

California Gold contestants won a total of $62,500. Nicolas Rodriguez of Whittier was the top winner with $40,000. Rodriguez's father gave him the ticket so he plans on giving the money he won back to his father.

The California Lottery sells its products through a network of more than 18,000 outlets statewide. The Lottery provides 52.5 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
Ken Lester	Redondo Beach	$115,000
Luz Banuelos	Huntington Park	$75,000
Catharine Edney	Cloverdale	$55,000
Javier Soto	Riverside	$50,000
Nicolas Rodriguez	Whittier	$40,000
Fabian Ojeda	San Gabriel	$20,000
William Stone	National City	$5,000
Other California Gold Winners		$22,500
		TOTAL $382,500

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