2003 1st Quarter Press Releases

SACRAMENTO -- California Lottery's "The Big Spin®" show airs Saturday, March 15, 2003, in twelve television markets statewide. Contestants on this week's show win a total of $307,500.

Assemblymember Alan Lowenthal presented Scott Wilcox with the California Lottery's Exceptional Educator Award on "The Big Spin" show. Assemblymember Lowenthal explains, "Scott has been a veteran educator for nearly 20 years. He's best known for transforming the lives of students and their community as Principal of Edison Elementary in Long Beach. Believing community support is the key to the success of students, Scott created learning programs to serve both students and parents."

Wilcox formed an academic tutoring program staffed by parent volunteers and a "Partner's in Math and Print" program. Wilcox's new focus is on parents helping other parents. They get hands-on training and the tools they need to work with their own kids at home. These programs are so successful that academic scores of Edison's students have improved year after year. Lowenthal concluded, "Scott, for your dedication to your students and their families, it is my pleasure to proclaim you an Exceptional Educator."

Troy Chanhmany

This week's finalist at the California Gold game is Troy Chanhmany, a customer service supervisor from Fresno, who wins $100,000! "I plan to use this money to pay off student loans and to continue my education," said Chanhmany. Chanhmany bought his ticket at Family Express Food & Liquor in Fresno. The second runner-up from this California Gold round is Haddia Nazer, a businesswoman from Sherman Oaks, 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.

Bruce Lamb Jr.

Fantasy 5 Dream Machine contestants win a total of $155,000 on this week's show. The first contestant appearing on this week's show is Myung Woon Chung, a businessman from Van Nuys. Woon Chung wins $85,000 and he explained his plans for the money, "I'll take my family on vacation to Hawaii." Woon Chung bought his ticket at Dorose Liquor in Van Nuys. The second contestant is Bruce Lamb Jr., a shipping clerk from Long Beach, who wins $70,000. He plans to travel with his winnings. Lamb bought his ticket at Paul's Liquor in Long Beach. 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 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.