2000 4th Quarter Press Releases: Article

SACRAMENTO -- California Lottery's "Big Spin® 2000" show airs Saturday, October 28, 2000, in twelve television markets statewide. Contestants on this week's show won a combined total of $202,500.

Sandra Virgen Cruz's husband bought a "Big Spin" Scratchers® ticket for her that revealed three "SPIN" symbols on it. That ticket entitled the San Lorenzo resident to spin the largest prize wheel in the world on the Big Spin® 2000 show, where she won $50,000. Two weeks later, her husband bought a Scratchers ticket that revealed three "TV" symbols. That ticket entitles him to be one of ten contestants to play the California Gold game. "My husband will be coming to the show to win money next time," said Cruz. Cruz plans to pay off bills with the money she won.

Fantasy 5^TM contestants won a combined total of $100,000 on this week's show. Virginia Romanik of San Dimas was the top winner with $80,000. "I would like to bring some joy into my family's life and take a vacation to Lake Tahoe," said Romanik. Elk Grove resident Betty Fukushima also tried her luck at the Dream Machine and won $20,000. "My husband and I are going to go on a cruise and just have fun," said Fukushima.

"I'm going to take care of a lot of friends and family," said Gordon Jameson of Merced. Jameson was this week's top California Gold contestant winning $30,000. Other California Gold contestants won a combined total of $22,500.

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 include 6.8 percent for retailer commissions. Since 1985, the Lottery has raised more than $12 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.