First She Called In Sick, Then Van Nuys Woman Won $1 Million On Scratcher And Felt Much Better

VAN NUYS (CBSLA.com)  —  California Lottery officials said one Van Nuys woman's day started off kinda rough -- but it ended with a big pay day.

Elizabeth Amamchyan woke up feeling a little ill. She's five months pregnant and was feeling queasy and decided to stay home from work. Later, the day got worse when she found out a family member was in the hospital needing surgery. Still not feeling great, she and her husband and his mother piled into the car and headed to the hospital.

But first Amachyan said they had to fill up the car. While at the gas station (United Oil #164, 7204 Van Nuys Boulevard in Van Nuys) she decided to buy a "$1 Million  Jackpot" scratcher.

She started scratching the ticket in the car.

"I was trying to figure it out because I was a little bit shocked," she said of the winning moment. "Then I kind of put it together where I was like, 'Okay, I think I won.'"

Her husband checked the ticket and realized they were, in fact, big winners. While the family was excited about the win, they still had to go to the hospital to visit the sick relative. Elizabeth said it was a hard transition. "I won and I went there and had to stay super quiet," she said. "You're excited but you don't know how to tell them or what to tell them."

Amamchyan still hasn't told her family member the good news and he's still recovering. (Can we suggest a nice vacation for him on a tropical beach somewhere?)

She also told lottery officials, she hasn't decided what to do with the money.

"I'm just so concentrated on my pregnancy and the well-being of my baby that I actually haven't brainstormed on what I would want to do yet,
she said.