For Rebecca Gonzalez, a Los Angeles County Walmart employee, a last-minute Labor Day shift became a life-changing event. Called in unexpectedly, Gonzalez was busy throughout her three-hour shift and nearly forgot her plan to buy a lottery ticket.
As she clocked out, a California Lottery vending machine caught her eye. On impulse, she spent $10 on a Single Double Triple Scratchers ticket. Against 2,057,388-to-1 odds, she struck the $1 million jackpot.
The winnings helped Gonzalez pay off debt and purchase a new home, but she’s still working at the Walmart in the City of Industry. Only one coworker knows her secret — the manager who called her in that day.
The store also received a $5,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket.