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Friday the 13th is his lucky day

A Palm Harbor man's fantasy comes true when he hits the $33-million Lotto jackpot.

By NICOLE HUTCHESON
Published April 26, 2007

PALM HARBOR - John Tobin, a 53-year-old former salesman, likely will never look at Friday the 13th as a day of doom again.

That's because the Palm Harbor resident found out he won a Florida Lotto jackpot estimated at $33-million on Friday, April 13.

That was two days after officials announced the winning numbers.

"That night I woke up about every hour just to be sure I still had the ticket," Tobin told lottery officials when he turned in the winning ticket Wednesday.

Tobin could not be reached for comment Wednesday and asked lottery officials not to make his photograph public at this time.

Tobin had worked as a sales representative for Heritage MedCall, a medical supplies company. Lottery officials said they weren't sure whether he retired before or after he found out he won the jackpot.

He said he plans to pay off his bills, buy his mother a new house, set up investments and give some money to charity.

Tobin purchased the winning ticket at the 7-Eleven at 3398 Tampa Road in Palm Harbor, which received a bonus incentive of $40,000 for selling the top prize-winning ticket.

Tobin, a regular Lotto player, told lottery officials that he had purchased several Quick Pick tickets along with playing his own numbers at the 7-Eleven. The first Quick Pick number on his play slip was the winner.

The winning numbers were 02-05-12-19-26-43. It takes the average Lotto winner 14 days to claim the winnings.

On Wednesday, Tobin turned in the ticket, officials checked to confirm he was the winner and payment arrangements were made, said Alfred Bea, communications manager for the Florida Lottery. Tobin chose to take his winnings in a lump-sum payment of $18.3-million.

Tobin is the 61st Florida Lotto winner to purchase a winning ticket in Pinellas County. Wednesday night's Florida Lotto drawing had a jackpot estimated at $15-million.

Nicole Hutcheson can be reached at nhutcheson@sptimes.com or 727 445-4162.

[Last modified April 25, 2007, 22:53:19]