2002 4th Quarter Press Releases: Article

SACRAMENTO -- California Lottery's "The Big Spin®" show airs Saturday, December 7, 2002, in twelve television markets statewide. Contestants on this week's show win a total of $342,500.

Assemblymember Rebecca Cohn presented Sue Johnson with the California Lottery's Exceptional Educator Award on "The Big Spin" show. Assemblymember Cohn explains, "Sue is a second grade teacher at Castlemont School in the Campbell Union School District. Over the past 22 years, Sue's devotion to students has gone beyond the classroom. To instill the love of learning in her students, she focuses on building a connection between her students and their community."

Johnson's students learn that academics are just as important as life's lessons through their participation in community service projects such as the Mercury News Wishbook Program. The results are the students become well-rounded academics that are proudly eager to learn. Cohn concluded, "Sue, because of your dedication to students and their community, it is my privilege to proclaim you an Exceptional Educator."

Theresa Howard

Fantasy 5 Dream Machine contestants win a total of $260,000 on this week's show. The first contestant appearing on this week's show is Theresa Howard, a homemaker from San Diego. Howard wins $100,000 and she explained her plans for the money, "I will help my children." Howard bought her lucky ticket at 7-Eleven in San Diego. The second contestant is Edward Premetz, a writer from Los Angeles, who wins $75,000. He plans to buy a house with his winnings. Premetz bought his ticket at Alameda & Main Chevron in Burbank.

Edward Premetz

Next up at the Dream Machine is Dolores Johnson, a secretary from Riverside. Johnson wins $30,000 and said, "I will buy a house with my winnings." Johnson purchased her ticket at Victoria Liquor in Riverside. The fourth contestant is Thomas Perry, a retiree from Livermore. Perry wins $30,000 and plans to buy a house and pay off bills with his winnings. Perry purchased his ticket at Flannigan's Market in Livermore. The final Dream Machine contestant on this week's show is Edmund Smith Jr., a photo engineer from Pittsburg. Smith wins $25,000 and plans to buy a truck with his winnings. Smith purchased his ticket at G.N.G. Liquor in San Francisco. 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.

Thomas Perry

This week's finalist at the California Gold game is Kurt Burgess, a computer service technician from Roseville, who wins $60,000. "I plan to use this money to help my family," said Burgess. Burgess purchased his ticket at Micnan #93 in Roseville. The second runner-up from this California Gold round is Cindy Kneff, an army-training instructor from North Highlands, 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.

The California Lottery® sells its products through a network of more than 18,000 retail 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 $14 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.