The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation said it will pay Maurice Thibeault half of the $6.1 million jackpot from his winning Lotto 6/49 ticket—about $3.07 million—on or about December 30. The other half of the prize money, however, is being disputed by his former girlfriend, Denise Robertson. She obtained an emergency court injunction to stop OLG from paying Thibeault the full amount he won in the September 20 jackpot, which offered a total of $12.2 million; a ticket-holder in Quebec won the other $6.1 million.
In a statement, OLG said it “has verified that the ticket in question was purchased by Maurice Thibeault and will proceed to pay him one-half (approximately $3.07 million) of the prize on or about December 30, 2017. The other half of the prize, which is in dispute, will be paid into court in 45 days unless the parties resolve the matter privately or choose to take part in the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario’s lottery dispute arbitration process. OLG’s prize claim review process is in place to ensure OLG pays the right prize to the right person.”
Thibeault, a father of three who worked at a granite and glass supply firm, bought the ticket at a convenience store in Chatham using a debit card linked to his personal bank account. Five days after the prize drawing, he moved out of the house he had shared with Robertson, a federal public servant, for more than two years. He also quit his job.
Thibeault’s friends said he had been planning for months to end the relationship, and winning the lottery expedited the separation. The two are not considered common-law spouses since they did not live together for three years as required, nor did they have children together.
Robertson’s lawyer, Steven Pickard, said, “Barring a settlement, it’s going to end up in court. The only formal process that we have left to us, other than something that’s agreed to by the parties, is a statement of claim. She does claim that half of the $6.1 million is hers. She doesn’t dispute his half. It’s our position that what’s being paid to court is entirely hers. They shared everything. She’s adamant and quite confident that she’s entitled to her half. Despite the fact that he’s going to get his half first, she doesn’t think that changes her entitlement.”
