La Habra Man’s Lucky Spin Wins Him $1 Million

A La Habra man beat the odds during the taping of the television program “Big Spin” on Saturday morning by winning the show’s $1-million jackpot.

Rick Turpit, 31, risked $15,000 to get a chance at the big wheel. With his brother and great-aunt in the studio audience, he watched the bouncing ball settle into the $1-million winner’s slot.

“It was exciting,” Turpit said from his hotel room after the show. “My brother and great-aunt were flying for the stage.”

Turpit said he was guaranteed $25,000 by appearing on the show. He was offered another $15,000 if he gave up his spin, but he decided to take the risk.

Turpit said that when he was told that his $1 ticket had qualified him for a spin of the wheel, his brother sold his car for $110 to have some extra money for food during the trip to the studio in Sacramento.

“Now I can pay off all my bills,” Turpit said. “And I’ll give my brother a car for Christmas.”

He said he has not made any other plans except to take care of his mother, who lives in Oregon. Turpit said that he will not quit his machinist job despite annual checks of $40,000 each year for 20 years. The remaining 20% is soaked up in taxes.

“It will be nice for Christmas for the next 20 years,” he said.