Media-ready jpg image of Michael Emery and Chris Vaughn

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DATE: October 27, 2009
CONTACT: Karie Lowe (785) 296-5744, karie.lowe@kslottery.net

21-Year-Old Paola Resident Reels In $25,000 Top Prize

TOPEKA, KAN. – In celebration of his 21st birthday last July, Michael Emery took a trip to Las Vegas. While there, the Paola resident played a trick on his parents by taking a photo of a slot machine that had matched three 7s, and sending it to them saying he’d won a jackpot. Yesterday afternoon, when Emery called his parents saying he’d won a $25,000 top prize playing a $5 Bass Pro Shops instant scratch ticket, they didn’t believe him. This time however, he was telling the truth!

“I bought my ticket in Louisburg and as I was driving down the road, I scratched my ticket,” explained Emery. “I thought I’d won $25, but after taking a closer look I realized it was a $25,000 winner!”

Chris Vaughn, who was with Emery at the time, didn’t believe his friend had won such a large prize.

“Chris wanted to see the ticket, but I didn’t want to let it go,” Emery said. “After a few minutes, I figured I’d better have him take a look just to make sure I had read the ticket right. Once we were positive it was a $25,000 winner, I took a photo of it and sent it to my parents. They didn’t believe me for a while, even with the picture.”

After convincing his parents he’d won, Emery and Vaughn made the trip to Topeka to claim the prize.

“The most I’ve ever won before today was $50,” said Emery. “It hasn’t really sunk in that I’ve won. When I bought the Bass Pro Shops ticket, I was trying to get a non-winning ticket to mail in for the second-chance drawing.”

Emery, who is single, works at Emery’s Steakhouse in Paola. He plans to pay bills with his prize money.

The winning ticket was purchased at Conoco Food Mart, located at 1500 W. Amity Rd. in Louisburg.