Nineteen holders of a $50-million winning lottery ticket finally received a $32-million share on Feb. 14.
The winning ticket is from the Dec. 31 draw. The payout was delayed due to a claim by another group on the same ticket.
“Now we’re confirming that it was a group of 19 Bell employees that validated one winning ticket worth $50 million,” said Tony Bitont, spokesperson for Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation.
Each of the original 19 claimants, all Bell Canada employees in Scarborough, received cheques for $1.6 million. They each also collected $1,200 interest for the wait since the prize claim review process began on Jan. 5.
Both groups of claimants agreed to divide the prize into 30 shares.
The remaining $18 million is in the hands of the court.
“It’s up to the courts to decide who are the claimants and who aren’t the claimants,” Bitont said.
The OLG says the legal challenge by the additional claimants is beyond the scope of the its prize claim investigation process.
Prize winners from the original group of 19 were unavailable for comment.