Local man hits jackpot with ‘forgotten’ lotto ticket
A Coachella Valley man has come forward to claim a $628,737 Powerball prize.
Lottery officials say Christopher Loomis bought the ticket at the Circle K convenience store on Date Palm Drive in Cathedral City for the drawing held on April 26.
At first Loomis forgot he’d bought the ticket, but remembered while he was relaxing on the patio by himself.
“I about fell out of my chair. I sat there in disbelief!” Loomis recalled to lottery officials. Loomis’ ticket matched five of the six winning numbers. “I probably (checked) the numbers about 100 times to make sure I wasn’t crazy.”
The winning numbers for that drawing were 1-15-18-26 and 51. Matching the red Powerball number 26 would have netted him an estimated $100 million jackpot. “If I would have gotten that last number, they probably would have found me after a heart attack,” Loomis joked.
Loomis declined potential requests to speak to the media or release a photo. However he disclosed that he plans on putting away most of his winnings into his retirement account, could do a little remodeling of his house and may go on a vacation with his sister.
