EDMONTON — A $33 million lottery jackpot is in dispute, with two men from Edmonton, in Alberta, Canada, laying claim to the hefty prize.
The Western Canada Lottery Corporation believes Matthew Hayduk is the legitimate winner of the April 22 Lotto Max draw, but six others suggested they might have bought the winning ticket.
After court proceedings this week, all but two of the would-be winners have relinquished claims to the prize — Hayduk and Ted Baltoussen. Some of those involved had accused friends of swiping their tickets, said they may have lost their tickets in the garbage, or were the victims of a scam when they entered a group lottery ticket purchasing agreement.
Hayduk is the only person among the seven who went to the lottery corporation's St. Albert office with a signed copy of his winning ticket.
In court documents, the lottery corporation states it started a standard review of Hayduk's ticket purchase and investigated several people who suggested they could also have claims to the $33,301,693.30.
The corporation says it will bring a case to court if it can't verify the stories of those making claims.
A lawyer representing Hayduk told a Court of Queen's Bench Justice Denny Thomas on Friday that, with the exception of Baltoussen, the others had withdrawn claims to the jackpot.
Baltoussen appeared in court and said he believes a convenience store clerk switched two tickets he had asked to be verified. He said he thinks he purchased his tickets at one of two west-end gas stations but also said that as a painter, he travels and makes purchases all over the city. He said he couldn't be sure where he bought the tickets.
"I still believe that ticket could have been a winner, for sure," he said. "I definitely want to get to the bottom of it, if I was the winner or not."
An Alberta Liquor and Gaming Commission investigator reviewed video footage of Baltoussen's exchange at the convenience store and found no tickets were swapped by the clerk. Baltoussen said he thought the video was inconclusive.
The judge viewed an affidavit from the lottery corporation that states where the winning ticket was purchased. The location is being kept a secret.
Baltoussen has until next Tuesday to make a formal court application. Thomas told him that if he wants to seriously pursue his claim, he must prove he bought the winning ticket. The other parties do not have to disprove his claim.
A lottery corporation spokeswoman Friday said the courts are sometimes the best place to settle ticket disputes because the corporation can't compel a person to provide all information about a ticket, but a judge can.
The corporation may receive many inquiries about a winning lottery ticket, said Andrea Marantz, but most don't pursue it. If someone says they might have lost a winning ticket, the lottery corporation can usually confirm quickly if that's the case.
But if a potential prize claimant wants to pursue the matter further, the courts are the best place to bring different parties together, she said.
"The fact is that $33 million is a lot of money and we have a responsibility to the public to ensure that money is paid to the person that's entitled to it."
Marantz said some people will withdraw their claims once the process gets to court, where they may be compelled to testify under oath. People don't usually make frivolous claims, but "might have very legitimate but mistaken beliefs" about their lottery tickets, she said.
With reports about lottery prizes being doled out to the wrong people, Marantz said the "bar has been raised" for lottery corporations to show they're doing the right thing.
"We're glad people are vigilant," she said.
The $33 million lottery jackpot brought inquiries from seven people, including a man who said he could have lost the winning ticket in a friend's car.
Two people told the lottery corporation they were part of a 42-person lottery group, and that the person in charge of purchasing tickets had disappeared shortly after the draw.
One man initially told the lottery corporation he may have thrown away the winning ticket.
Hayduk's lawyer told court on Friday that man had contacted him, relinquished his claim to the prize and said, "If Mr. Hayduk has the winning ticket, he is the winner and he should claim that money."
Canada wow your missed up
the fact if i ever traveled up their, happen to buy a ticket
and beat all trillions of odds, only to win, and then have like 7 others who i never met in my lfie claim am a theft , with no proof then made up stories their the winner too and not me, WTF
then YOU have to wait lottery and courts are happy everyone else is disproven as a lair, when they had no proof to begin with, WTF is wrong with you people
if i have to sit their waiting on the courts and lawyers to even get my money that's legit mine
for shame on your whole legal world, i don't know how people in canada live with that, but that's insane
if i was the legit winner,i had the winning ticket, signed it, turned it in
and a whole group of others claimed they was the winners not Me, but i had the freaking ticket signed in my name
i get my gun and it would be settled out of court, with me shooting ever one of them lairs and their lawyers helping them in crime
i rather in news , legit lottery winner kill 7 lairs who tryed to steal hes jackpot, then 7 beeps staking false claim at someone else jackpot
people who try to steal other people money, deserve to be hunted down and shot
however if i was ever a tourist, i would play
this is how i do it, sense your land is full of idiotic fools making up insane legal land of bullcrap.
i buy my lottery ticket, by first starting to record a cell phone video, i show me, ask for the ticket, such as a qp, me hand the Money Over, get the tickets, i asked for, then do a close up of the tickets
Then when other people . aka they claim am not the legit winner, Bam, video proof for your freaking canada people, i love to see their reactions then,
in court: You sure am not the real winner, Then wtf is this video showing, CGI?
gtfo of here i say to them lol
i hope the real winner enjoys hes rightful money, god knows he deserves it, he plays only to get disrespected by hes whole nation cease their so backward in their courts
"Two people told the lottery corporation they were part of a 42-person lottery group, and that the person in charge of purchasing tickets had disappeared shortly after the draw"
Another example of group play at work.
You believe their story about being part of 42-person lottery group? Where are the other 40 people? Even in Canada, could you find 42 people in one place that would give money to a stranger for lottery tickets who has no identity, no home address, no job, no family and no friends who would know his where abouts?
You're right, it would be hard to get 42 people in one place who would give their money to a stranger for lottery tickets who has no identity, no home address, no job, no family and no friends who would know his whereabouts.
But there are unscrupulous individuals who get people to do that exact thing over the internet.
I hope nobody here has sent money to anybody in Canada to be in a pool.
Has anybody heard from little mario lately?
yep, he's up in canada selling lottery tickets to 42 people.
Rjoh, people give to unresearched people all the time. We had a kid last week stop at our house selling something to get him into college....He was neither college bound nor was the subscriptions legit. But he got over 3 thousand dollars before the police were called in on this door to door scam. No we didnt subscribe as I am leery to begin with when there is no 800# to call or the fact he wanted check or cash.
there is nothing in the article that states the person in charge of purchasing tickets was not someone the two people did not know. Their claim is not as outlandish sounding as you make it out to be. As for the other 40 people, picture this, you just got duped, getting what's rightfully yours (33 mil divided by 42 people is about 800 grand before lawyers fees and other expenses) would be a long involved process requiring lawyers, would you be in any rush to show your face to the media?
I assumed anyone who could talk a group of 42 people into giving him money for a lottery drawing would be someone like a co-worker that has established a certain amount of trust and dependability that wouldn't be so transit that he could disappear in a couple of days without a trace. People talk individuals out of their money all the time but a group of people is a little harder.
Not saying their story is real, but people do join online lottery pools consisting of a ton of people, so that they can have over $1,000 worth of tickets per draw. When people are desperate enough to win, they'll do a lot of crazy things.
Also look at all the other scams that happen daily, like people sending money to Princes of Nigeria or to the Jamaican Lottery so that they can get their billions in winnings.
Keep the location of your ticket purchase a secret, they are coming out of the woodwork with a new scam.
I only buy from Mr Patel.
I buy from a lot of different stores but it's always from Mr Patel.
hey people i have been playing 101 on the pick 3 since nov 2009 when is it gonna come
The first time you don't play it, naturally.
Never fails, lol.
LOL, His relatives are in Michigan, I wonder if Harve$t Moon can give us some numbers?
i'm american and i play the lotto max all the time. i am not part of any pool but i do get tickets that last a long time. lotto max is not that hot but still i win when i play. mostly free tickets. all i seem to win are freaking free tickets. the most i have won is 20 dollars a few times. arrrrgggghhh.
the canadian lotto corporations are cracking down on fraudulent claims. not to long ago they seized property and money in ontairio from a store owner who claimed 16 million dollars. so i hail their lotto security people for making it hard to claim the money when there is a dispute.
i will never be a part of a group purchase. i have my own money to lose.
That is not an example of group play at work. It is an example where someone lied and tried to pretend they were part of a group. If they were part of a well run group, they would have copies of the tickets bought on behalf of the group before draw time and could therefore prove they had a claim on the prize.
If I win anything over 20 million dollars, and <snip>s line up and try to pull a stunt like this, I'm setting aside a million dollars for lawyers fees and going after everything they have for as long as it takes. I'll make their life a living hell just on principle alone.
I'm glad you weren't part of this International lottery group scam again mario, I was getting a little worried after those last two times when "someone stole" the money.
You really should find another way to supplement your income though, international crime will just land you in jail someday, little booger.
And nobody wants to see that happen.
Nobody.
You and I have a strange and wonderful relationship (you're strange, I'm wonderful) and I don't ever want to see that change.
Yes, we go way back, you and me.
Way back...
Let me think now...
I know, how about opening your own business?
Little mario's Hot Chip Stand!
Everybody loves Hot Chips!
Whattaya think?
For someone who claims to be Christian, you spread a lot of lies and hatred. You should be ashamed of yourself. Your behavior is pathetic.
Please follow the Lottery Post rules.
I'm in your corner, little guy.
It's you and me against the world.
We're good like that.
You mean to tell me Ted,you didn't sign those tickets before you handed them over to the convenience store clerk?. You jerk.You lose.
WOW... this is crazy you have to protect your self at all times. What happen to the old days where you signed the back of the ticket and that person calimed the prize.
This why I always purchase my own ticket and check my own ticket !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That does not prevent someone from making a claim against your win.
What I don't understand is why a person who believed a convenience store clerk switched his ticket and isn't sure he even purchased a ticket at the winning location and two guys who claimed they gave some money to someone else to buy tickets be considered seriously when someone shows up with the ticket and their signature on it. Sounds like any one with a story can make a claim and there need to be penalties for those making false claims.
i agree with you about RDGRNR and i complained before and nothing happened. if more people complain about him maybe he would be more civil or gone. gone is preferrable.
Where do I sign up?
I'd much rather listen to you drone on and on about your bad luck when you post every six months or so. 
Hey, maybe you and mario could move in together since you know each other anyway.
You could do his hair and he could paint your toe nails while you talk baby talk to each other!
How about it?
i agree it's time to take chocktaw ridge runner up to the tallahatchee bridge and let billy joe macallistar off the hook from that guy that made him jump off and put ridge runner in his place...
On what basis ........................ ?