SACRAMENTO, January 2, 2004 -- Lottery officials announced the estimated SuperLOTTO Plus® jackpot for Wednesday, January 5, 2005 to be $57 million. “Californians should be very excited for this first jackpot of 2005,” said Lottery Interim Director Chon Gutierrez. “The New Year has brought California the first bout of Lotto Fever!”
A single jackpot winner of $57 million choosing annual payments would receive 26 annual payments with the first payment being approximately $1.425 million and the 26th payment being more than $2.9 million before federal withholding. The estimated cash value would equal roughly half of the jackpot or $28.5 million, the amount the Lottery would invest to payout the jackpot prize over 26 years.
California education and businesses win too. A retailer who sells a single winning $57 million ticket would receive a $285,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket and California's public schools will receive nearly $36 million from the draw sales associated with this jackpot.
On February 16, 2002, the record-breaking jackpot in California Lottery history reached $193 million and was won by 3 winning tickets purchased in Montebello, Orange and Half Moon Bay. Alcario Castellano of San Jose, California made Lottery history when he became the record-breaking highest individual jackpot winner of $141 million on June 23, 2001.
SuperLOTTO Plus can be played at approximately 18,000 retail business establishments around California. 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.