Iraqi Immigrant Chances Upon $3.4-Million Booty . . . Thanks to Computer

An Iraqi immigrant who left his country to escape the war with Iran was made $3.4 million richer Thursday when he became the first lottery winner whose six lucky numbers were picked by the California Lottery computer.

Sami Hermiz Pauls, 30, who works as a clerk in a cousin’s liquor store in San Diego, became the state’s first “quick pick” winner when the computer picked the winning combination of 16-41-14-13-43-17 for Wednesday night’s drawing, said Bruce Cherubin, San Diego district manager for the lottery.

Lottery players are given the option of choosing their own numbers or playing numbers picked at random by a computer.

Pauls and his cousin, Samir M. Hermiz, who owns the South San Diego store where the winning ticket was purchased, appeared at a hastily arranged press conference at the lottery’s regional in Kearny Mesa.

“I’m looking for Mrs. Right. Where are all the girls?” asked a grinning Pauls, a Spring Valley bachelor who said he spends about $30 weekly on the lottery. In the meantime, Pauls, who owned a new BMW before winning the lottery, said he will use his winnings to buy a new house for his parents, brother and sister, with whom he lives.

Pauls said he left Iraq five years ago to escape the war that has inflicted thousands of casualties on both sides and raised tensions in the Persian Gulf. After living in Italy for a time, Pauls and his family obtained U.S. visas and moved to San Diego.

The liquor store clerk’s fortune would have escaped him were it not for an unplanned visit to Hermiz’s store, Palm Liquor. Pauls works at a liquor store owned by another cousin and on Wednesday night drove to Hermiz’s store and decided to play a $5 quick pick. It was the first time that he had bought a Lotto card at Hermiz’s store, Pauls said.

After realizing that Pauls had won Wednesday night’s lottery game, the two men closed the store at 8:30 p.m., 30 minutes early, and partied,

Pauls said. Besides Pauls’ riches, Hermiz will receive $17,100 for selling the winning ticket, lottery officials said.

Pauls’ winnings will be paid to him in 20 annual installments of $171,000 per year--$136,800 after taxes. Lottery officials will present Pauls with his first check next week at a ceremony at Hermiz’s store.

Though he often fantasized about how he would spend the money if he won the lottery, Pauls said he is not sure what he is going to do with his winnings after buying a house.

“You think before (how you will spend the money), but when you win, you don’t know what you’re going to do,” Pauls said.

Eventually, some of the winnings will be used to buy a business, Pauls said. “I’m not going to work for anyone anymore,” he said, laughing.

Another portion of the money will be given to his cousin who employs him, Pauls added.

“We had a deal. If I win (the lottery) I pay him $50,000. If he wins, he gives me $50,000.”

He will continue playing the lottery, Pauls said, because one never knows when “lightning will strike twice.” Hermiz said the most he had won in the lottery was $103, when he picked four numbers correctly last week.

“But I never got the money because I lost the ticket,” Hermiz said.