Suit for half of lotto winnings tossed

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SANFORD, Fla., Feb. 8 (UPI) -- A Florida judge ruled against a man who sued his ex-girlfriend for half of the $1 million jackpot she won from the Florida Lottery.

Circuit Judge Alan Dickey issued a directed verdict, which means Seminole County plaintiff Howard Browning's case was deemed legally insufficient, Tuesday after 11 1/2 hours of testimony in the lawsuit against Lynn Anne Poirier, the Orlando Sentinel reported Wednesday.

Browning alleged he and Poirier, who lived together for 16 years, had agreed to split any lottery winnings either of them won. He said he gave Poirier the money to buy the ticket in 2007.

However, Poirier contended she had never entered any such agreement with Browning and she had paid for the ticket herself. She said she had been trying to get Browning to leave her home for some time and eventually had to have him evicted.