Clash for cash over A$40m Powerball jackpot

NSW Lotteries has handed over the $40 million Powerball jackpot to the winning ticket holder, despite a dispute between members within the syndicate.

NSW Lotteries announced this afternoon the winning ticket "has been presented to NSW Lotteries and the prize has been claimed".

That winning ticket was a total $40,445,165 prize draw.

A syndicate of 14 men won a $2.85 million split of the total $40,445,165 prize draw, despite one member claiming he had been kicked out of the club.

"On claiming the prize, NSW Lotteries was advised by the ticket holder the $40 million division one prize pool would be shared amongst a syndicate of 14 workers," NSW Lotteries spokesperson Elissa Lewis said.

"NSW Lotteries deems the ticket bearer to be the legitimate and rightful winner and the requirements for processing payment of the prize have been met."

Earlier this morning, things weren't looking up for the Powerball syndicate member embroiled in a clash for cash.

That dispute involves a man who was kicked out of his share of the syndicate, and tensions are running so high he has been forced to work offsite, while another has quit as disagreements between the colleagues and syndicate winners reach boiling point.

Last week, news.com.au revealed the man in question, who has since been revealed as production manager Brendon King, was kicked out of the syndicate despite having paid for his share of the ticket upfront.

"I feel betrayed that a work colleague I've been supportive of can openly do this," he said at the time.

"I feel let down that the other members who know I am part of the work syndicate aren't willing to stand up for what is right.

"If someone else was in this position I would be the first one to talk to the group, to do the right thing. I have worked with these gentlemen for five years and when they've fallen on tough times, either at work or at home, I have supported them.

"I hope that this will all be cleared up quickly and that all the members in the syndicate receive their fair share."

Details over the disagreement are slim, but Shine Lawyers told news.com.au the man in question had fully paid his share of his ticket before the Powerball draw.

"The ticket holder refuses to acknowledge that," a spokesperson said.

Mr King was hoping for a resolution by Thursday, when the winnings were due to be released, but the dispute has not been resolved, with attempts to mediate the dispute between Mr King and his staff "not progressing well".

Mr King will work offsite until a resolution is agreed upon, while one syndicate winner has quit while he awaits his share of the money.

All 14 syndicate members are believed to be men from cable manufacturer Prysmian Group, based in Liverpool in Sydney's west.

But the company is doing its best to stay out of the matter, with Prysmian Group spokesman David Klarich telling the Daily Telegraph, "as far as the company is concerned this is a personal matter between employees concerned, but they are doing their best to assist us."

Mr King, a senior manager with the company, hopes his lawyers will successfully block Oz Lotteries from paying the winnings to the registered ticket holder on Thursday until the dispute is solved.

"We are requesting that Oz Lotteries doesn't pay any of the winnings to the registered holder of the winning ticket, while it is unclear who was a part of the syndicate and who wasn't," Shine Lawyers NSW commercial litigation and insolvency practice leader Luke Whiffen said last week.

"If the registered holder of the winning ticket does receive the money from Oz Lotteries, we will require that they do not make a decision on their own as to how that money is paid out. The winnings need to be frozen until the dispute is resolved."

Earlier this month, news.com.au reported on the 14 factory workers from Sydney who couldn't believe their luck when they won the $40 million Powerball jackpot.

"After I checked our ticket and saw that we had all the winning numbers, the phone calls were flying around - my phone was ringing like mad," said the leader of the syndicate, who is said to be the one responsible for kicking out Mr King.

"Everyone was calling everyone about the win - it was crazy!

"Some of the syndicate members were shaking, others told me they had goosebumps. One of the guys even said his hair was standing on end and his face was tingling from the shock of it all."