BIG SPIN CONTESTANTS WIN MORE THAN $400,000

09.08.2001
BIG SPIN CONTESTANTS WIN MORE THAN $400,000
Both Big Spin Prize Wheel Contestants Hit "TRIPLE" Spoke

SACRAMENTO -- California Lottery's "The Big Spin®" show airs Saturday, September 8, 2001, in twelve television markets statewide. Contestants on this week's show won a total of $417,500.

Rosario Diaz, of Corona, was this week's finalist in the California Gold game. Diaz told the story of her ticket, "My husband bought it and scratched it and then gave it to me because I am the lucky one." That proved to be true as Diaz' first spin landed on the "TRIPLE" slot and her second spin landed on the $60,000 spoke, making her prize a total of $180,000. Diaz plans on going back to college and studying computers. California Gold is another way to get to the wheel on "The Big Spin". The game starts with 10 contestants whose Big Spin Scratchers® tickets each 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 those contestants will reveal gold nuggets and advance to the second round of play. Once there, they compete to see who can get the closest to 10 units of "gold nuggets" 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.

Three contestants won a combined total of $140,000 at the Dream Machine. George Macias, an auto serviceman from Scotts Valley was first up at the Dream Machine. Macias explained, "I sent in three coupons and within about 30 days, the Lottery sent me a letter and here I am." Macias won $75,000 and plans to pay off a few bills and then taking his wife of 30 years on a second honeymoon. Next was Kiyoe Estep who was a proxy for her son, John Estep. John Estep who is from Newark, asked his mother to be his proxy, because, as she explains, "He thinks I am lucky." He was obviously right, as Estep won $55,000. The final contestant at the Dream Machine was Kathryn Papazian, a homemaker from Kings Beach. Papazian said she was, "Dreaming of winning it all." She then explained that she would put her prize in her "Fun money." Papazian won $10,000. At the Fantasy 5 Dream Machine, players have up to five chances to launch one ball at a time into one of the five bins in the pinball-type game, each bin representing a cash amount. Prizes are cumulative, but only one ball may land in each bin to claim the prize amount. Players appearing on this segment qualify by mailing an entry form to the Lottery when $5 of Fantasy 5 games are purchased on one playslip.

Harjit Khatra was the Spin-Spin-Spin contestant on this week's show. Khatra, a student from Modesto, planned to pay for his college, all the way through his future plans of law school. Khatra's first spin landed in the "TRIPLE" slot and his second spin landed in the $25,000, making his total prize $75,000. Khatra bought a "Big Spin" Scratchers® ticket which revealed three "SPIN" symbols on one ticket, that ticket entitled him to a direct trip to the prize wheel.

The California Lottery sells its products through a network of more than 18,000 outlets statewide. The Lottery provides 52.7 percent of its revenues to players as prizes, 34.1 percent to public schools and 13.2 percent for administrative expenses, which includes 6.9 percent for retailer commissions. Since 1985, the Lottery has raised more than $12 billion for public schools. The Lottery's contribution equals approximately 2 percent of the state's total education budget. "The Big Spin®" is the longest running Lottery game show in the country, airing continuously since 1985.

NAME	CITY	AMOUNT
Rosario Diaz	Corona	$180,000
Harjit Khatra	Modesto	$75,000
George Macias	Scotts Valley	$75,000
Kiyoe Estep	Newark	$55,000
Kathryn Papazian	Kings Beach	$10,000
Other California Gold Contestants		$22,500

	TOTAL	$417,500

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2001 3rd Quarter Press Releases: Article