Well, that was a bit of a d**k move.
Each week in the Victorian city of Geelong, a group of 16 work mates cough up $20 to buy a lottery ticket together.
Like at many other workplaces around the country, the Toll Group couriers dutifully hand over their cash, waiting for a miracle.
But that miracle may have come without most of the group knowing…
Following a Powerball draw in October last year, the head of the syndicate, 49-year-old Gary Baron, called in sick on Monday morning, Fairfax Media reports.
Days later, he resigned from his job and distanced himself from the rest of the punting group (except for his partner).
If the sight of Mr Baron allegedly zooming around in his new $200,000 convertible BMW M4 or sunning himself on the balcony of his new double-storey house in Geelong was not enough to raise eyebrows among his former colleagues, news that he received a bottle of champagne from Tattersalls certainly did.
Now, the ‘Powerball 14’ are waging a Supreme Court battle to find out if they are actually unaware millionaires.
The syndicate members are calling upon Tattersalls Sweeps — Tattersalls’ public lottery licensee — to release the name of an anonymous winner from Victoria to clear up with Mr Baron is in face hoarding the multi-million dollar prize.
“They suspect that [the Powerball 14 member] did win because of his change of routine — he has acquired lots of assets recently,” a source told the Herald Sun.
“They have never got a satisfactory explanation from him. These people are all workers, to get $1 million will change their whole life.”
While the group regularly bought Tattslotto tickets, they only played Powerball when there was a large jackpot, the source claimed.
He also stated they never saw the alleged winning ticket.
Fairfax media reports that Tatts Group released a statement from the winners following the Powerball draw last October, which included this response from an anonymous winner.
“I’m still in disbelief…I don’t need that amount of money, it’s too much for me!” the statement said.
“I’m going to share the prize money with my family. I’ll make sure it doesn’t change who I am, but I’ll definitely be able to live a better lifestyle, with a few more toys.”
The Powerball 14 want the court to reveal the name of the winner, the method by which the winning ticket was bought, the number of tickets bought by the man and the winner’s account history over the past five years.
If he bought more than one ticket for himself, they may have some legal claim to the winnings.
Soon, there could be another 14 or so BMWs buzzing around the Bellarine Peninsula.
Read more:
The three richest Australians have more wealth than the million poorest.
Rich Russian models on Instagram.
Do you have a news tip? Email us at news@mamamia.com.au.
[post_snippet id=324408]