(AUSTIN) – According to Lorene Baker of Lufkin, she and her husband play Texas Lottery® scratch-off games once or twice a week. She enjoys checking the Web site to see what games are available and recently noticed King Tut’s Treasures.

“I liked this game because it was different and new,” said Baker. “I bought a few tickets and lost, and it was bugging me.”

She kept thinking about the game, not realizing her husband had “treasure” on his mind, too. When the two finally mentioned their preoccupation to each other, they made a firm pact.

“We decided to play again, and if we didn’t win anything, we wouldn’t buy any tickets for a year,” Baker explained.

The nagging feeling paid off. Baker’s husband noticed the prize first. Then Baker used a highlighter to verify for herself that they’d won the $50,000 top prize. The couple put the ticket in a zip-lock to protect it overnight and woke up at 5:45 the next morning to make the hour and half trip to the Beaumont Claim Center.

“It’s so exciting,” Baker said. “We couldn’t wait to claim the prize. We’ve already started planning what we’ll do with it.”

Those plans include buying a new television, putting a down payment on a house, and helping some of those less fortunate in their community.

“Ms. Baker was very smart to check the Web site,” said Texas Lottery Commission Executive Director Anthony J. Sadberry. “There players can find a variety of important information including game rules, odds of winning, and prizes remaining for each instant ticket game, updated daily.”

Baker purchased her winning ticket from the Polk Pick It Up #14, located at 1004 S. John Redditt in Lufkin.

Tonight’s Lotto Texas® jackpot is worth an estimated $28 million. Friday’s Mega Millions® jackpot is worth an estimated $95 million.