FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BOISE, Idaho – Two Big Spin winners with two amazing journeys found their way to the Idaho Lottery’s Big Spin wheel at Boise Towne Square today for their chance to spin, and win, up to $100,000.

Jay Kassebaum from Cocolalla, Idaho, along with friends Christopher Long and Crystal Booker from Boise took part in the second Big Spin event, the top prize for the summer’s most popular Scratch Game, the Big Spin. Kassebaum, as well as Long and Booker, each spun and won $50,000 in prize winnings.

A retired United States Air Force veteran, Kassebaum knew he had a winning ticket shortly after the Lottery’s first Big Spin winner on August 2. Due to some previously arranged travel commitments, Kassebaum set up his Big Spin date in Boise on his return trip from the United States south, stopping along the way home to collect his $50,000 prize winnings from the Big Spin wheel.

“We really took the scenic route to get here,” Kassebaum said after traveling nearly 4,000 miles through three time zones to make his Big Spin appearance in Boise.

Kassebaum’s winning ticket was sold at Westmond Chevron in Sagle. For selling the winning ticket, Westmond receives a bonus from the Idaho Lottery of $5,000.

A week ago on Wednesday, Christopher Long just really wanted to go out to breakfast. After texting several friends and family members, he had no takers. His brother replied that his girlfriend, Crystal Booker, was interested in going. On his way to pick her up, Long stopped at the Jacksons on Ustick and Maple Grove and purchased a collection of Scratch tickets, including about ten Big Spin tickets.

“I got to their place and offered Crystal her choice of a ticket. She won $100 on one of them. Feeling lucky, we divvied up the Big Spin tickets. My ticket won the digital spin. We took it to the store to find out how much it had won. Since Crystal had been lucky already, I gave it to her to cash in. We decided in the store we would split whatever we won,” described Christopher.

After learning they had won a Big Spin for a chance to win up to $100,000, Christopher bought another few Scratch tickets and won $500 on one of those.

The two eventually did make it to breakfast.

“It was an all-around, lucky day!” he added. “I felt like I was still dreaming and that I hadn’t woken up yet.”

The Big Spin went on sale in mid-July. The game is already over 50% sold. There are three Big Spin event winning tickets remaining in the game.

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The Idaho Lottery responsibly provides a variety of entertaining games featuring Powerball, Mega Millions, Scratch GamesTM, and PullTabs with a high degree of integrity to maximize the dividend for Idaho public schools and the permanent building fund. Since their inception in 1989, the Idaho Lottery has sold over $5 billion in products, awarded more than $3.1 billion in prizes to players, returned $293 million in retail commissions, and distributed $1.1 billion in Lottery dividends to Idaho public schools and buildings. To learn more, please visit www.idaholottery.com.