For years a group of factory workers in south-western Sydney pooled their money together to buy lotto tickets with the shared dream of achieving a better life.
The syndicate had some small wins and many more losses along the way, but then one night a group of workers scooped the $40 million Powerball jackpot.
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Powerball win ends in court
Following a Sydney lotto syndicate's $40 million mother's day jackpot win, a factory manager is suing a colleague for a share. Courtesy Seven News Melbourne.
As news spread around the cable manufacturing plant the following morning, production supervisor and father-of-five Brendan King received the shocking news that he was the only regular contributor who was not part of the winning syndicate.
When he asked his then-colleague and syndicate organiser Robert Adams why he was not part of the winning group he was allegedly told: "Shit happens. I run a lot of lottos."
![Brendan King says he was denied $2.7 million.](/web/20161017222657im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/3/z/1/v/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gs3sqc.png/1476713823866.jpg)
Mr King has now taken Mr Adams to the NSW Supreme Court in a bid to claim what he says is his rightful share of the winnings – $2.7 million.
With many of his former colleagues, and now millionaires, present at the court hearing on Monday, Mr King said he had won just $12 from a separate ticket in the same draw.
The court heard that Mr King was a faithful contributor to the lotto syndicate operating at Prysmian's Liverpool plant and which entered into the Powerball draw in May.
Mr Adams argues he initiated a one-off syndicate involving 14 people who made larger contributions to boost the chance of winning the major jackpot.
All of the regular factory syndicate members, aside from Mr King, were included in the second entry. Mr Adams told the court he had not had the opportunity to contact Mr King.
"I'm very sorry I did not have the opportunity to ask Brendan to be part of the winning syndicate," Mr Adams said in court.
"I have been told I am the trustee for the $40 million prize and that it is not open to me to give Brendan a share of the prize as it means taking money belonging to others."
Mr King's lawyer Lachlan Gyles SC argued that his client had a right to be considered the 15th member of the winning syndicate, as he always thought there was only one group entering lottos in the factory and that unless members opted out of the syndicate they were to be automatically included in entries.
Mr Gyles said Mr King's colleagues had attempted to put a "ring fence" around the winning syndicate in a bid to avoid losing about $200,000, or 8 per cent, of their prize money.
The court heard that Mr King confronted Mr Adams the morning after the win: "Answer one question please: who of our original group has missed out or is not a recipient in this win?"
Mr Adams allegedly replied: "Only you. I'm not speaking with you. Go and see a f---ing lawyer."
Mr King later approached his winning colleagues and told them: "Don't worry about what your going to lose. I've always been a part of this syndicate. There was only ever one syndicate."
Mr Adams' account of the conversation with Mr King included no profanities although he conceded, "I spoke more harshly than I should have".
He told the court that for years he had operated several separate lottos that did not involve Mr King or the other workers who formed the regular factory syndicate.
"Brendan is my boss ... I like Brendan and I am sorry this has ended up in court," he said in his affidavit.
The court heard that Mr King still works for the same company, but is now at a different plant.
The $2.7 million has been frozen pending the outcome of the civil case.