A woman from Indiana struck it big with a Detroit Lions lottery ticket she received during a white elephant gift exchange. Her stroke of luck has earned her a whopping half-a-million dollars.
Emily Hicox discovered that she had won a whopping $500,000 on Christmas, which also happened to be her birthday. This incredible stroke of luck came after she had purchased a Michigan Lottery ticket during her family’s Christmas party.
She almost didn’t end up with it, said the 25-year-old.
“My dad actually won the ticket in the gift exchange, and I won the gift he brought, a flashlight. He wanted his gift back, so we made an agreement after the game to trade gifts,” she said.
On Christmas day, she excitedly scratched off the ticket and was convinced that she had won $50,000.
“I downloaded the Michigan Lottery app and created an account to check the ticket on the app scanner,” she said. “I was expecting to see $50,000, so when I saw the extra zero, I was speechless! I couldn’t comprehend that I’d just won $500,000!”
Hicox’s cousin purchased the ticket from a Meijer store located in Rockford, a suburb of Grand Rapids.
During a recent visit to Michigan Lottery headquarters, Hicox claimed her prize and expressed her plans for the winnings. She intends to purchase a new car, invest in her future, and share some of the money with her parents and cousin, who were also involved in buying the winning ticket.
“We love hearing all of the fun and exciting ways our players find out they’ve won big prizes, and a win like this is what every Lottery player dreams of!” said Lottery Commissioner Suzanna Shkreli. “Winning a prize of $500,000 is a thrill in itself, combined with the excitement of winning on Christmas, and your birthday, from a ticket you received as a gift makes it even more incredible.”
Players have won over $21 million playing the Detroit Lions instant game since its launch in September. The game offers a $5 ticket that gives players a chance to win prizes ranging from $5 to $500,000.