A Missouri Lottery player who purchased a “Bonus Word Crossword” Scratchers ticket at Double L Country Store, 500 Highway 28 in Belle, uncovered a prize worth $50,000.

The winner explained that he had decided to take a chance and purchase the ticket because his favorite Scratchers game was out of stock at the time. 

Later that day, he scratched and matched 11 words on the ticket, winning one of the game’s eight $50,000 top prizes.

“We didn’t realize we had 11 words,” he laughed. “We counted all the words again and again.”

"Bonus Word Crossword" is a $3 game that began March 22. Three top prizes of $50,000 remain unclaimed in the game.

In FY22, players in Maries County won more than $1.4 million in Missouri Lottery prizes, retailers received more than $143,000 in commissions and bonuses, and more than $130,000 went to education programs in the county.