SACRAMENTO - The California Lottery's TV game show, "Make Me a Millionaire," awarded $219,000 in cash and prizes to 12 lucky contestants this week.
Barbara Jackson, a graduate student at California State University, East Bay, snagged $60,000 playing the Millionaire game. Jackson plans to use the money to help finish up her master’s degree in recreation. She also said that she would like to buy a brand new car and possibly open up her own boutique.
A homemaker from Pomona, Elizabeth De La Rosa received her winning Scratchers® ticket as a gift from her husband. Though she walked away $60,000 richer after playing California Cool, De La Rosa was more preoccupied with her nerves than with the amount she had won. “I was so nervous about being on TV, I didn’t really think about the prize money!” she said. After some consideration, De La Rosa said she would like to take her family on a vacation to Hawaii.
Two other contestants – Janey Huynh of Stanton and Abel Alaniz of Redlands – won a new car, the Limited Edition California Jetta made by Volkswagen. Huynh is an economics major at Cal State Fullerton. She is graduating this year. Alaniz won his way on the game show after his father purchased several Scratchers tickets and gave him one to scratch-off.
This week’s winners:
| Barbara Jackson |
Millionaire |
Oakland |
$60,000 |
| Elizabeth De La Rosa |
California Cool |
Pomona |
$60,000 |
| Janey Huynh |
Lucky Penny |
Stanton |
Volkswagen Jetta |
| Abel Alaniz |
Lucky Penny |
Redlands |
Volkswagen Jetta |
The California Lottery believes in creating a better, more sustainable environment for future generations. That is why all cars given away on “Make Me a Millionaire” are fuel efficient and use clean innovative technologies. All new car winners on this week’s episode won a Limited Edition California Jetta.
For more information about “Make Me a Millionaire,” visit www.calottery.com. For high resolution photos, 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 nearly $21 billion to California schools out of total sales of more than $56 billion. Retailers benefit too, earning $3.6 billion in compensation since 1985.