Lotto Fury (Lots of fury)

[skippy]

By NICKI CRUICKSHANK, SUN MEDIA
The Toronto Sun

BARRIE -- The $24.5-million Lotto 6/49 win by workers at Powco Steel has been classified as "a suspicious win" by Ontario gaming officials after another potential winner came forward.

On Thursday, 27 employees of the Barrie company, which manufactures light stands and poles, spent the day at the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. in Toronto hoping to collect their prize. But they left empty-handed so officials could conduct the standard checks.

Yesterday, another claim was made for the big prize.

"We had a call from an individual who says he believes he's also able to claim on that winning ticket," OLG spokesman Jim Cronin said.

The case has now been handed off to the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario.

"The OLG has deemed this as a suspicious win and it's been forwarded to the OPP bureau attached to our agency for investigation," AGCO spokesman Lisa Murray said.

They declined to identify who made the claim.

Powco general manager Darrin Manley, one of the winners, said he believes the person making the claim to share the prize has worked at the plant for about 15 years and is on vacation in Poland.

"He called me too, and I believe it was an oversight on our part that he was missed on the list," Manley said, adding the group still isn't happy about leaving Toronto without cheques.

"It wasn't like the commercial at all," he said.

[skippy]

$24.5M lotto win ruins friendships

Co-workers fight as they wait for $24.5 M prize

By TRACY MCLAUGHLIN -- Special to Sun Media
The Toronto Sun

BARRIE -- A dream of riches for 27 workers at the Powco steel company who hit the jackpot on a Lotto 6/49 draw has slowly turned into a nightmare.

Fists are flying, long-time workers have quit, and men who have worked together for years like brothers have quit their jobs because of conflict over who gets to claim a share of the big prize.

It started off with whoops of joy one morning last January when co-worker Ruby Rodriguez, who collected the money each week, came in to the plant while dancing a little jig as he held on to the $24.5- million winning ticket.

An hour later, the 27 piled on a bus and headed to the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. offices in Toronto, leaving a handful of brooding workers who forgot to play that week.

"Hey, we're happy for them," said co-workers Nick Lymbertos and Jon Armstrong at the time.

But when the jovial winners got to Toronto they were told about a problem: A co-worker, Slawomia Howalewski, called from his vacation spot in Poland and insisted he should be in on the winnings.

The claim sparked an immediate investigation by the OLG and by the OPP.

A handful of other workers who apparently didn't play that week have also come forward to claim they should have a share in the winnings.

Now, 50 days later, winnings have yet to be paid and and bad feelings are rampant at the factory that manufactures street lights.

"It's been hell," said Travis Rommelaere, 36, one of the initial winners. "The OLG tells us we can't have our money -- and then they throw us all back in the plant and expect us to work together."

It's been so bad that he and seven other long-time employees -- experienced welders -- quit.

"We couldn't take the stress. It's constant fighting. I've lost 15 pounds," Rommelaere said.

Worse, he said, every worker was subject to police interrogation. "They treated us like criminals," he said.

Joe Mills, also one of the initial winners, quit because he couldn't take the constant bickering and even occasional threats.

"We were like a big family," Mills said. "We worked together. We sweat together. We broke bread together ... now there is just fighting. I couldn't take the crap anymore -- I had to quit. It's a sad shame."

Mills said there is no way Rodriguez would have cheated any of the workers out of their fair share of the winnings.

"That guy is as honest as honest could be," he said. In the beginning, Rodriguez would even front some co-workers ticket money, but had to cut that out when people didn't pay up.

"He finally made a rule -- if you don't pay, you don't play," Mills, 47, said.

Lisa Murray, spokesman with the OPP's gaming commission, says the case is still under investigation.

"There is no question it is a winning ticket," Murray said. "The tough part is trying to determine who gets to claim."

[Snipes]

Wow good story. This is what money and OLG does to you. **** you OLG!!!

[Grizzly Joe]

Originally Posted by skippy

"That guy is as honest as honest could be," he said. In the beginning, Rodriguez would even front some co-workers ticket money, but had to cut that out when people didn't pay up.

"He finally made a rule -- if you don't pay, you don't play,"

Let this be a lesson to anyone in a large pool of players.

Get everything in writing, including the rules, and a photocopy of the tickets, and who is in each draw, BEFORE each draw so that if ya win, EVERYONE has a hard copy of who was in and who was out.

It's alotta hassle to do things correctly and fairly, but this is what has to be done when ya got some dishonest people out there.

It sounds like Rodriguez was in charge and knew who had paid up and who didn't, but he wasn't smart enough to document everything as thoroughly as he should have.

[NTSHADOW]

I run the pool in our department and everyone receives a copy of all tickets prior to wednesdays draw and if any winnings or free tickets are clearly shown on the main sheet I send.

In my previous job, the woman that ran it, didn't give anyone copies or rarely did, she always said " i am very busy ". i left the pool immediately shortly after.

[slipperypete]

there's like 9 people at my job, only 8 really as one pair are married... only 4 of us actually play...changes who buys each time, but we always sign the front (whoever bought it that day) and write the names of the 4 of us on the back.... no fights thus far, maybe because we didn't win!

[FrankRizzo]

skippy

If this case goes on and on for several months,and were talking about a lot of money here in $24.5 million dollars.Dont you think the OLG should have to pay these people interest ? For everyday that goes by these people are losing interest on thier money.

And how long does it take to settle something as easy as this ?

The main guy/girl who collected the money,then the people who paid to get in on the pool , all should be investigated at the same time.The dude from Poland should have came home from his vacation and this could have been hashed out in a couple hours.Why does it take days apoun days and months and months,just to find out who was in and who wasnt ? Its just goes to show you the incompetence (:1.not legally qualified 2.not competent : lacking sufficient knowledge,skill or ability ) of this corporation.

I think one thing this dumb ass company could do is bring back televised showings of all draws.I hate the fact that im playing a game (649,super 7 and so on) and I have to trust a corporation like this to be on the up and up with me.They say it costs too much money for air time,roflmao.Bullshit I say,how about cutting 40-50 workers who make over $100,000 a year to do **** all and sink that into getting a TV contract ?

[FrankRizzo]

And one thing I forgot to mention.Just this past week a guy who I was talking to at the store told me he left the OLG empty handed on a winning ticket.He plays NCAA BB point spread and spends quite a bit of money.His problem this time was he hit on 4 tickets.2 tickets were 4 teamers at $25.00 each,the other 2 tickets were $50 with and extra game added,so they were 5 teamers.The only problem is he played them all at the same store.He went over the $100 maximum limit which the OLG stipulates that the rule is $100 maximum.So he went over by $50.The OLG would not allow him to cash all his tickets,and because he signed them he couldnt even give them to someone else to cash for him.So here he is with $2,500 in winning tickets and they allowed him to cash his 2 - $25 tickets and his 1 - $50 ticket.So he got $1,500 that day ok.The next day he went back to the OLG office to cash his other ticket,guess what ? They had already red flagged this other ticket in thier computer system,and he left empty handed.I think thats pretty lame,dont you ? Walk into any store and ask the clerk to give you $5,000 worth of 649 quick picks for 649,and thiers no limit,lol.But spend over a $100 and your not allowed.Just ridiculous really.Gotta love the OLG eh ?

[Opportunist]

FrankRizzo, regarding the guy that had over $100 of purchased tickets at one retailer who signed them, and the OLG flagged the ones once he passed over that limit, and will not honour him, I find that hard to believe.

The obligation is on the retailer, not the player, to enforce that rule, which btw, would not last imo if you got a lawyer to challenge it, being a legal product. You make a good point, there are no limits on buying 6/49 tickets, so why Pro line, which are both lotteries under the law.

The OLG should cash those other tickets and send a warning letter to the retailer and/or call the retailer up. If the retailer continues to sell more than the limit, they have often pulled the terminals for 2-3 days, or even indefinately. I do not buy that story for a second that they did not pay out.

[FrankRizzo]

Originally Posted by Opportunist

FrankRizzo, regarding the guy that had over $100 of purchased tickets at one retailer who signed them, and the OLG flagged the ones once he passed over that limit, and will not honour him, I find that hard to believe.

The obligation is on the retailer, not the player, to enforce that rule, which btw, would not last imo if you got a lawyer to challenge it, being a legal product. You make a good point, there are no limits on buying 6/49 tickets, so why Pro line, which are both lotteries under the law.

The OLG should cash those other tickets and send a warning letter to the retailer and/or call the retailer up. If the retailer continues to sell more than the limit, they have often pulled the terminals for 2-3 days, or even indefinately. I do not buy that story for a second that they did not pay out.

Do you work for the OLG ?

True story,believe me if you want.Im telling the story from a second party point of view.But what I did see was his tickets.He showed me the winning copies he got back from the OLG and the ticket he wasnt allowed to cash.I myself have been to cash tickets at the OLG and asked the exact same question.Thier response was neutral.They didnt say they would cash if I spent over the limit or if they would.I wanted a straight forward answer and didnt get one.So take that for what its worth.These people are trained to beat around the bush on sticky questions.Its not something made up , its the truth.

[Opportunist]

If that did happen as you say it did, then there is a simple solution that I do all the time. My retailer of choice has a limit that he increased to $800 to cash tickets from $300 just for my benefit. I also go to a lottery booth at a mall that has no problem cashing my tickets as long as I show my drivers license. Simple solution is never to go to the OLG to cash your tickets, which I do not do. Just keep the amounts $999 or under where possible.

[FrankRizzo]

Originally Posted by Opportunist

If that did happen as you say it did, then there is a simple solution that I do all the time. My retailer of choice has a limit that he increased to $800 to cash tickets from $300 just for my benefit. I also go to a lottery booth at a mall that has no problem cashing my tickets as long as I show my drivers license. Simple solution is never to go to the OLG to cash your tickets, which I do not do. Just keep the amounts $999 or under where possible.

exactly

[revnecro1273]

ill takemoney over friendship any day...move away and start over...live like a king and make new ones...not that hard to do

[skippy]

Originally Posted by revnecro1273

ill takemoney over friendship any day...move away and start over...live like a king and make new ones...not that hard to do

You can buy friends with money.....LOL