Jury rules Florida jackpot winner must pay ex-boyfriend his share

SANFORD, Fla. -- Jurors say a central Florida woman who won a $1 million lottery jackpot must pay $291,000 to her former boyfriend, who claims he gave her the money to buy the ticket.

The Orlando Sentinel reports that the Seminole County jury reached its decision Thursday after deliberating for more than three hours. The ex-boyfriend, 62-year-old Howard Browning, had claimed that he and his former girlfriend, 62-year-old Lynn Poirier, had an agreement to split any lottery winnings evenly.

Poirier denied making any such deal. She claimed the prize in 2007; Browning sued her a few months later.

Jurors ruled that the couple had a binding contract and Poirier had broken it. Browning's attorney says his client should be awarded an additional amount for interest over the years.