Co-Worker Jokes That Man Skipped Work Because He Won the Lottery. Turns Out, He Really Did!

Mar. 15, 2025

Mega Millions stock photo.Photo:Anadolu Agency via Getty Stock Images

Anadolu Agency via Getty Stock Images

Election night was particularly special for one lottery player in Southern California.Michael Chavez found out he won $1.2 million in the California Lottery Mega Millions on Nov. 5, 2024, after a co-worker joked to him about winning the draw, according toKNBC in Los AngelesandThe Sacramento Bee.“I actually woke up in the middle of the night to check the election results to see who won for president, not Mega Millions,” Chavez told the California Lottery, per the outlets.“I went back to bed without looking at my ticket,” he added.The next morning, Chavez texted work to say he would not be coming in that day — and a co-worker jokingly responded that it was because he’d won the lottery, KNBC reported.Mega Millions ticket stock image.Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty“He kidded me if the reason I wasn’t at work was because I had won the million,” Chavez said.He added that his co-worker “even jokingly congratulated me” and sent him a screenshot of the Mega Millions results via text, per KNBC.Chavez finally decided to check his lottery ticket and then discovered that he’d matched five out of the six winning numbers, winning him a prize of $1,214,818, according to the outlet.“I could not believe my eyes,” he said. “I’m so excited and extremely grateful.”Mega Millions tickets stock image.GettyChavez credited his co-worker for reminding him to check his winning lottery ticket, which he purchased at a Lake Liquor store in Lakewood, Calif., a 20-mile drive southeast from L.A., according toThe Sacramento Bee.The store received a bonus of over $6,000 for selling the winning ticket,KTLAreported.“I’ll never forget election night or especially that text,” said Chavez, per KNBC.PEOPLE has contacted the California Lottery for comment.

Election night was particularly special for one lottery player in Southern California.

Michael Chavez found out he won $1.2 million in the California Lottery Mega Millions on Nov. 5, 2024, after a co-worker joked to him about winning the draw, according toKNBC in Los AngelesandThe Sacramento Bee.

“I actually woke up in the middle of the night to check the election results to see who won for president, not Mega Millions,” Chavez told the California Lottery, per the outlets.

“I went back to bed without looking at my ticket,” he added.

The next morning, Chavez texted work to say he would not be coming in that day — and a co-worker jokingly responded that it was because he’d won the lottery, KNBC reported.

Mega Millions ticket stock image.Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty

Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty

“He kidded me if the reason I wasn’t at work was because I had won the million,” Chavez said.

He added that his co-worker “even jokingly congratulated me” and sent him a screenshot of the Mega Millions results via text, per KNBC.

Chavez finally decided to check his lottery ticket and then discovered that he’d matched five out of the six winning numbers, winning him a prize of $1,214,818, according to the outlet.

“I could not believe my eyes,” he said. “I’m so excited and extremely grateful.”

Mega Millions tickets stock image.Getty

Getty

Chavez credited his co-worker for reminding him to check his winning lottery ticket, which he purchased at a Lake Liquor store in Lakewood, Calif., a 20-mile drive southeast from L.A., according toThe Sacramento Bee.

The store received a bonus of over $6,000 for selling the winning ticket,KTLAreported.

“I’ll never forget election night or especially that text,” said Chavez, per KNBC.

PEOPLE has contacted the California Lottery for comment.

source: people.com