Woman wins $500,000 lottery from white elephant gift exchange ticket
An Indiana woman won a $500,000 lottery by playing a Michigan instant game ticket over the holidays.
Emily Hickox was gifted the lottery ticket through a white elephant gift exchange she participated in with her family. She told Michigan Lottery she wasn't even the initial recipient of the scratch-off ticket.
"My cousin purchased the ticket for the white elephant gift exchange at our family Christmas party," Hickox said. "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."
Hickox, who turned 25 on Chistmas Day, said she scratched the ticket off on her birthday, and at first, thought she had won $50,000.
"I was expecting to see $50,000, so when I saw the extra zero, I was speechless!" Hickox told Michigan Lottery. "I couldn't comprehend that I'd just won $500,000!"
In a statement, Michigan Lottery Commissioner Suzanna Shkreli congratulated Hickox for winning.
"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. Congratulations Emily!" said Shkreli.
Hickox said she plans on using her lottery winnings to buy a new car and make investments but also wants to share some of it with her parents and her cousin, who bought the winning ticket in the first place.
