2002 3rd Quarter Press Releases: Article

SACRAMENTO — California Lottery's "The Big Spin®" show airs Saturday, August 17, 2002, in twelve television markets statewide. Contestants on this week's show win a total of $207,500.

Marty Elman

Fantasy 5 Dream Machine contestants win a total of $130,000 on this week's show. The first Dream Machine contestant appearing on this week's show is Marty Elman, a chauffeur from Van Nuys. Elman wins $75,000 and he explained his plans for the money, "I will help my family and go to Las Vegas." Elman bought his lucky ticket at Vista Liquor in Burbank. Next up at the Dream Machine is Su Kemp, a property manager from San Rafael, who wins $30,000. Kemp bought her ticket at Russell's in San Francisco.

Jakira Terrance

The final Dream Machine contestant on this week's show is Jakira Terrance, an administrative assistant from Los Angeles. Terrance wins $25,000 and plans to pay off student loans with her winnings. Terrance purchased her ticket at Sunshine Market in Los Angeles. 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.

The contestant that wins a chance to spin the prize wheel from the California Gold elimination round is Celia Springs, a janitor from McKinleyville, who wins $30,000. "I'm going to take my Mom on a cruise with my winnings," said Springs who purchased her ticket at Safeway in McKinleyville. The second runner-up from this California Gold round is Bonnie Anderson, a typist clerk from Bakersfield, who wins $5,000.

California Gold is another way to get to the wheel on "The Big Spin" show. 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.

Ruby Lujan

The Spin-Spin-Spin contestant on this week's show is Ruby Lujan, from Greenfield who wins $25,000. Lujan explained, "I plan to buy a house with this money." Lujan purchased her ticket at The Corner Store in Greenfield. Lujan bought a "Big Spin" Scratchers® ticket which revealed three "SPIN" symbols on one ticket, that ticket entitled Lujan 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 percent of its revenues to players as prizes, 34.7 percent to public schools and 13.3 percent for administrative expenses, which includes 6.8 percent for retailer commissions. Since 1985, the Lottery has raised more than $13 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.