Actor Edward Asner Presents California Lottery's Hero in Education Award to Cindy Vanderspeck; First Finalist for Weekly Payday Raceway Contestant Decided.

News Editors

SACRAMENTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 11, 2003

California Lottery's "The Big Spin(R)" show airs Saturday, January 11, 2003, in twelve television markets statewide. Contestants on this week's show win a total of $132,500.

Actor Edward Asner presented Cindy Vanderspeck with the California Lottery's Hero in Education Award. Vanderspeck is a volunteer at Longfellow Elementary School in San Diego.

For the past ten years, Vanderspeck has devoted her free time to creating a better learning environment for Longfellow's kids. She does this by organizing unique fundraising events, like tupperware sales and school carnivals, and by using the sales proceeds of the these events to send the kids on educational field trips. Vanderspeck's efforts have also helped improve learning in each of Longfellow Elementary's 31 classrooms. As a result of her fundraising efforts, every single teacher was given $250 to be used for purchasing much-needed teaching supplies.

Edward Asner is an actor who has won seven Emmy Awards. He has appeared in nearly 100 motion pictures including the groundbreaking mini-series Roots, Oliver Stone's JFK, and the hit comedy The Animal opposite Rob Schneider. He is best known from his starring roles on television's The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Lou Grant.

The Fantasy 5 contestant appearing on this week's show is Linda Carroll (a proxy for Jimmy Carroll), a coin operated technician from Covina. Carroll wins $75,000 and she explained her plans for this money, "I plan to buy a house with my prize." Carroll bought her winning ticket at 7-Eleven in Covina.

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.

"Weekly Payday Raceway" contestant, David MacDonald, a food clerk, will progress to the final round of play for a chance to win $2,000 a week for 20 years, winning a total grand prize of over $2 million. MacDonald purchased his lucky ticket at Archie's Ranch Market in North Hollywood. On this week's show, six contestants competed in the first preliminary round of the game moving simulated racecars along a racetrack. Of the six, one contestant, MacDonald, moved on to the final round of play. Other "Weekly Payday Raceway" contestants won a combined total of $17,500 with prizes ranging from $2,500 to $5,000.

The Spin-Spin-Spin contestant on this week's show is Richard Pond, a mechanic from Santa Rosa who wins $40,000. Pond explained, "I plan to retire and start my own business." Pond purchased his ticket at Ralph's Grocery in Santa Rosa. Pond bought a "Big Spin" Scratchers(R) ticket which revealed three "SPIN" symbols on one ticket; that ticket entitled Pond to a direct trip to the prize wheel.

The California Lottery sells its products through a network of more than 19,000 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(R)" is the longest running Lottery game show in the country, airing continuously since 1985.

NAME                                     CITY                  AMOUNT

Jimmy Carroll                            Covina              $ 75,000
Richard Pond                             Santa Rosa          $ 40,000
Other Weekly Payday Raceway Contestants                      $ 17,500

                                                     TOTAL   $132,500

Note: Additional information about the California Lottery may be found on our web site at www.calottery.com.