(JEFFERSON, Mo.)— A Lathrop, Mo. woman is $50,000 richer after winning a second choice Missouri Lottery prize. 

Francie Elliot bought the winning ticket at the Holt Truck Stop, 4850 S.E. PP Highway in Holt, Mo. 

Elliot bought the winning $3 "Daily Crossword" after she discovered the $5 Missouri Lottery crossword-themed Scratchers tickets were sold out. 

She bought a few of the $3 tickets and soon discovered her prize money. 

“I had three tickets that I was playing,” Elliot said. “This was the third ticket, and I didn’t realize that I was matching so many words until after I was done playing it. I didn’t even think it was $3 a winner.” 

Elliot matched her letters with 11 complete words in the ticket's play area—awarding her a $50,000 top prize. 

“I mean, I just couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I had to wake my husband up to have him take a look,” Elliot said. “We kept recounting and recounting to make sure we were right.”

Elliot had not made a decision for the money when she claimed it earlier this month.