SACRAMENTO, Calif.--(Business Wire)--This week the California Lottery's Big Spin(R) Show presents the
"Best of the Big Spin," highlighting winners in 2007. This year alone,
the Big Spin has given away $17,872,500 in prizes, and that's why it's
the biggest money game show on earth! The show aired statewide
Saturday, December 29, 2007.
Coincidentally, the five biggest winners of the year, all winning
at least a million dollars, came from the Aces High game where the
players had to beat out nine other contestants to get to the Big Spin
wheel. But once they got there, they made the most of it! The first
million dollar winner of the year was Arturo Pena from Lake Forest,
who won $1 million in May. Pena was overcome with happiness, "I am
definitely quitting my second job and spending more time with my
family." He also wanted to purchase a home and add a second car to
their family. After winning, Pena called his wife to give her the good
news and her comment was "stop joking." Even she couldn't believe it!
In August, Randy Miller, a carpenter from Pioneer, became the next
millionaire on the Big Spin. Wondering how this millionaire planned to
spend his winnings? "I'm buying a new truck and giving my old truck to
my wife, building a garage and doing some traveling," said Miller. "My
wife wants to visit Africa and I want to fish in Alaska, I'm sure
we'll do both!"
In October, Dorothy Mosqueda, a health aid worker and a bus driver
from Tulare, became the Big Spin show's next millionaire. Mr. Mosqueda
was overwhelmed with emotion. "We are raising our six grandchildren
and we could really use this money," said Mr. Mosqueda. Retirement is
in the near future for Mosqueda, who recently received a well deserved
award for 25 years of service as a school bus driver. After retirement
Mosqueda wanted to travel to Mexico to visit a priest that has helped
her in the past and donate to his church.
Ramon Hernandez Romano, a truck driver from Los Angeles, appeared
in December as one of the last contestants on the Big Spin where he
also won $1,000,000! He planned to show off his Christmas spirit by
helping the poor and by helping his 2 daughters, one of whom is due
with his 5th grandchild any day now!
The contestant who won the largest sum of money this year actually
appeared back in April when Claude Coleman of Eureka won $3,000,000.
When he gave a turn of the Big Spin wheel, excitement filled the air
when the ball landed on the "TRIPLE" spoke, giving him the opportunity
to triple his prize. When the ball landed on the "$1 MILLION" spoke,
giving Coleman a $3 million prize, he couldn't stop the tears from
falling! Coleman, a father of four sons, owns his own private medical
assisting school. "I'm probably going to upgrade the school and open
another school in Crescent." His son was also thinking of a trip to
Hawaii!
Over 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 $19.6 billion to California schools out of total
sales of more than $53.25 billion. Retailers win too, earning $3.4
billion in compensation since 1985.
For more information about the California State Lottery, go to
www.calottery.com.
California State Lottery
Olga Gallardo or Cathy Doyle Johnston, 916-324-9639
Copyright Business Wire 2007
