Walmart Employee Buys Lottery Ticket After Being Called Into Work on Her Day Off, Wins $1 Million

Rebeca Gonzalez, who works at a Los Angeles County Walmart, bought a winning lottery ticket at her job site

One Walmart employee was called into work on her day off and then bought a winning lottery ticket on her way home, per a California Lottery press release. 

Rebeca Gonzalez, who works at a Los Angeles County Walmart, was asked last-minute to come in to work on Labor Day. The employee already had plans for the holiday but headed into work for three hours.

“I wanted to obviously be home with my family because we planned to barbecue,” Gonzalez told the lottery.

Gonzalez initially planned to buy a Single Double Triple Scratchers game from a California Lottery vending machine during her break. “But it was so busy I totally forgot. I didn’t remember I was going to buy a Scratchers until I left for the night and passed by the machines,” Gonzalez explained. 

As a result, she chose to get a $10 ticket from the California Lottery machine, she won the $1 million top prize, defeating the 2,057,388 to 1 odds.

She told the CA Lottery, “I couldn’t believe it!” Adding, she’s now able to pay off all her debt and that she and her husband will be able to close on a new home. While she’s grateful to have the winnings, she confirmed she will continue to work at Walmart.

Related: Michigan Lottery Winner 'Thought It Was a Scam' When She Learned She Won $1M Mega Millions Prize

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“I’ve only told one person at work, and it was the manager who wanted me to stay late on a holiday,” Gonzalez said. “He couldn’t believe it.”

The supercenter will receive a $5,000 bonus for selling her the ticket, lottery officials said.