We’re pals who won lottery jackpot – but we’re SUING a rogue syndicate member after his ultimate ‘betrayal’
A LOTTERY syndicate called in lawyers after one member was accused of keeping a £828,000 jackpot for himself.
Trent Bowden bought tickets on behalf of ten pals using the same numbers each week, court papers say.
But last month he went to claim the bumper winnings as an individual rather than for the group, a writ alleges.
Trent, who runs a clay pigeon shooting range near Perth, Australia, is now being sued along with lotto organiser Lotterywest.
Court papers claim he struck it lucky using the syndicate’s regular numbers, The West Australian reports.
He is said to have scooped $2,200 (£1,215) on October 29, and “reinvested” the winnings in the next draw.
Trent then won another $2,802 (£1,550) on the Oz Lotto on November 1, the writ states.
He is said to have ploughed the winnings into more tickets, using the same numbers, and scooped a $1.5million jackpot on November 12.
He went to collect the winnings then next day but allegedly did not tell the other syndicate members, who found out later.
“On or about November 13, 2022, (Trent) presented the third ticket … for payment of the prize money to himself only,” according to papers lodged in Western Australia’s Supreme Court.
The writ claims there was a “mutual assumption that any prize money won on a ticket (Trent) purchased on behalf of the syndicate would be shared by the members in the shares”.
Lawyer Cally Hannah, representing the rest of the group, said she is “obviously seeking a resolution that is of satisfaction to my ten clients.”
Trent’s lawyer, Kathleen McNally, told Yahoo News Australia her client intends to defend the action.
The explosive row comes 11 months after Trent survived stomach cancer, reports say.
Last December he wrote from hospital on his now-deleted Facebook page: “Thanks to everyone for their well wishes.
“The surgery was successful… they got the whole tumour out of my stomach.
“Looking forward to getting back to it after the recovery.”
Ms Hannah also acted for a man who claimed syndicate leaders owed him a slice of a $63million jackpot earlier this year.
Former government worker Mark Ing said he paid $100 to join a syndicate run by newsagents Tania and Kevin Parkes.
They claimed he actually joined a losing syndicate – not the pool of 250 customers that struck lucky.
Mr and Mrs Parkes were also in the pool and won a combined $536,000 – which they used to buy a $3.2million mansion.
They took Mr Ing and the lotto organisers to court to block him from getting a share.
The bitter dispute was reportedly settled out of court before trial.