San Diego Powerball winning man comes forward
SAN DIEGO (CNS) – State lottery officials said Tuesday a San Diego man who won nearly $400,000 in the Dec. 27 Powerball drawing has come forward.
Tom Florio matched the numbers 7, 10, 11, 14 and 36 but missed the Powerball number of 15 on a ticket he bought at a Vons store at 10675 Scripps Poway Parkway, according to the lottery.
Because another ticket purchased in Oceanside contained the same numbers, Florio split the prize and will take home $392,116.
“My son always says to me, `Dad, how come you say to me all the time when you win the lottery, you’re going to do this or that?”‘ Florio said. “I say because if you think you’re going to win, you can sometimes produce that win.”
“And I think it’s true, because the odds of winning this thing are astronomical,” Florio said. “But someone has to win! I think all that positive thinking affects it.”
Florio might be on to something because he previously won $10,000 in the Fantasy 5 game. He told lottery officials he planned to pay off some bills and help his son and grandchildren.
The person with the other half of the prize has not come forward, the lottery said. The ticket was bought at Pier View Market & Spirits, 218 N. Cleveland St. in Oceanside.
Winners have six months to claim their prize or the money gets turned over to schools.
