SACRAMENTO – Anthony Hughes, a security guard from Oakland, walked away from the wheel with his hands clasped to his face in a state of shock. California Lottery officials observed how humble Hughes was as, visibly shaken, the reality set in. His hand almost couldn’t do something he must have done thousands of times before – penning his signature, but this time for a $75,000 prize. In a dreamlike voice, he regained his composure and recalled the moment that decided his fate, “That wheel is heavy.”
Soft spoken, Hughes didn’t exactly know what he would do with the money. But in a moment of clairvoyance he realized, “I’ve never been on vacation. I’m gonna spend two weeks in Hawaii.” When asked which island, he shook his head, saying “any island, it doesn’t matter.” The grand total won by Hughes 
and all other contestants on this week’s episode of the Big Spin was $217,500.
Reggie Brown, a painting contractor from Hayward, is a fit, easy-going guy with long, tied-back dreadlocks and a baritone voice. He’s the type of neighbor you hope for. Upon approaching the Fantasy 5 Dream Machine he recalled, “I left my mind open on how to do this.” However, when push came to shove he went all the way, playing all five balls and winning $70,000. When talking to California Lottery officials Reggie had a different take on how to spend his winnings. “I’m not going to get any one thing. With one big thing it’s over. I’m gonna play it smart. I’m going to make sure that everything is going to count.” He spoke of little things, like shoes and dresses for his daughters.
Winner’s Summary
| Anthony Hughes |
Oakland |
$75,000 |
| Reggie Brown |
Hayward |
$70,000 |
| Cory Upperman |
Barstow |
$50,000 |
| Stella Vickerman |
Freedom |
$5,000 |
| Susan Mirander |
Culver City |
$4,000 |
| John Moreno |
San Jose |
$2,500 |
| Mattie Young |
Carmichael |
$2,000 |
| Susan Whitford |
Galt |
$2,000 |
| Martin Cavaluzzi |
Hemet |
$1,750 |
| Antonia Cruz |
Pittsburg |
$1,750 |
| Adriana Rouse |
City of Commerce |
$1,750 |
| David Schimmel |
San Diego |
$1,750 |
| |
TOTAL |
$217,500 |
For high resolution photos of Anthony Hughes or Reggie Brown please contact (916) 324-9639 or e-mail newsroom@calottery.com.
More than 95 cents of every Lottery dollar is returned to the community in the form of contributions to education, prizes and retail commissions. The California Lottery contributes at least 34 cents of every dollar that players spend on Lottery products to public education and returns more than 50 percent of sales to players in the form of prizes. Since its inception in 1985, the Lottery has contributed more than $20 billion to California schools out of total sales of nearly $55 billion. Retailers benefit too, earning $3.5 billion in compensation since 1985.