Son gives mom $5 lottery ticket, gift wins her $50,000

Sept. 28 (UPI) — A Kansas woman said a gift from her son that cost him only $5 turned out to be a $50,000 prize-winning lottery ticket.

Sandra Gilliam of Ottawa told Kansas Lottery officials her son brought her two scratch-off tickets as a gift, and one of the tickets, a $5 Super Red Hot Crossword ticket, turned out to be a $50,000 winner.

Gilliam said she told her son about the win and tried to give the ticket back to him, but he insisted it was a gift and the prize money was hers.

“I have great kids,” Gilliam said.

Gilliam said she had to wait more than a week to cash the ticket at lottery headquarters in Topeka.

“It was very nerve-wracking.” she said. “I stay with my 90-year-old mother during the week, so I only have a couple days when I could make the trip.”

She said she plans to use her winnings to improve her living situation.

“I’ve been renting my whole life, and I want to own a home,” Gilliam said.