SACRAMENTO, June 19, 2001 -- Lottery officials announced the SuperLotto PlusSM jackpot for Wednesday, June 20, 2001 at $85 million. "Sales are strong, and in fact, they are so strong we have adjusted our bottom line to $2.8 billion, which will also increase contributions to education to more than $1 billion for this fiscal year," said Lottery Director, Joan Wilson. "It's exciting for our players, good for our retailers and best of all we'll raise approximately $50 million for public schools."
Since SuperLotto Plus began on June 4, 2000 there have been a total of 50.6 million winners, more than 30 million more winners than with the old SuperLotto game. There have also been over 51,253 winners of $100 or more and there have been 766 winners of a second prize averaging between $24,000, but as high as $63,000.
A single jackpot winner of $85 million would receive 26 annual payments with the first payment equaling approximately $2.1 million and the 26th payment being approximately $4.3 million before taxes. The estimated cash value would equal roughly half of the jackpot, approximately $42 million or the amount the Lottery would invest to payout the jackpot prize over 26 years. In the event of the death of a winner, the full prize is paid to the estate of the winner.
On April 17, 1991, the largest jackpot in California Lottery history reached $118.8 million and was split by ten winning tickets and 54 winners. Sang Cho of Moraga, California made Lottery history when she became the record-breaking highest individual jackpot winner of $89 million on March 3, 2001. With at least 34% of all Lottery sales going to education, the sales from this jackpot (which has rolled 8 times) will generate an estimated $50 million for public education.
SuperLotto Plus can be played at more than 18,000 retail business establishments around the state. The SuperLotto Plus draw takes place each Wednesday and Saturday night at 7:58 p.m. Players may purchase tickets until 7:45 p.m. on the night of the draw.
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