Lottery Winners Make Modest Plans for $1-Million Prizes

An immigrant from Soviet Armenia and a federal government worker, who each won about $1 million in California lottery games Saturday, said they intend to use their winnings to take a trip to Texas and to help the homeless.

A bookkeeper and mother of two, Lela Antaplyan of Glendale said she will use the $1 million in prize money to pay off her mortgage and help homeless children, said John Schade, a state lottery spokesman.

Antaplyan, 22, came from Soviet Armenia 10 years ago. The second Glendale resident to become a millionaire through the state lottery, she bought the winning Big Spin ticket at Chris & Tom’s Liquor & Deli in Glendale.

The other winner is J. Darrell Davidson, 47, a personnel manager from Valencia, who won almost $1.38 million in Saturday’s Lotto game.

“You have a million things going on in your mind the minute you know you’ve won this much money,” Davidson said. Although he won’t get the check for another month, Davidson said, “We’re going to do the sensible thing with a little extravagance” in buying Christmas gifts.

His wife, Donna, said: “We’re going to take life a little easier. Right now we’re thinking small. We have a friend in Texas whose daughter is getting married so we’re going to Texas.”

She said the prize also will be shared with family members, including their 15-year-old son and 22-year-old daughter.

Davidson bought his ticket at Discount Gourmet Liquor in Newhall. His machine-picked numbers were 16, 25, 39, 40 and 43 and 2. His numbers matched five of the six winning numbers and the bonus number, 2.

Had he picked all six numbers he would have won $4.76 million.