Syndicate lottery win - one for the MN jury

[Puzzledandpissedoff]

Genuinely asking this on behalf of a friend who doesn't use MN - or even use computers much, come to that

She works in a place where 8 staff are in a lottery syndicate; they pay in a set amount once a month, except that one member constantly "forgets" and has only paid two or three times over the last 2 years

Of course you can guess where this is going: they've won a few tens of thousands and, predictably, the non payer expected a share, insisting he'd make up what he owed in return

The other 7 originally said "no way" but eventually voted 4/3 to give in because the atmosphere was becoming so poisonous - except it's still poisonous because the 3 who voted no are seething

It's all a bit late now since the non-payer's hardly going to return his portion, but anyway I said I'd ask the MN jury ... should they have shared with him or not?

He definitely shouldn’t have got anything! If the 4 who thought he should felt so badly for him, they could have given him some of their share, but no way should he have got an eighth of the winnings. Cf at its best!

I wish I hadn't read this, it's wound me right up! CF. I think it should have been split seven ways and the three got 1/7 each. Then the reminder split for the four that voted to share and the cf.

I think in this case those who wanted to give him some money should have given it out of their own share

Obviously it wasn't my decision to make, but FWIW I said the same when my pal came to me with the whole sorry tale

As mentioned, I don't know whether or not they'd been "putting in" for him on all except 3 months of the past 2 years, but even so it seems a bit much for him to have expected anything on that basis. An occasional missed payment for a good reason is one thing, but surely not this many?

If it was someone who posted all of the time but missed a week or two because they'd been away or ill or just had some financial trouble I'd do it, but in this circumstance not a chance in hell!

The problem now is whenever they win, he will demand his share.
I would dissolve the syndicate to stop this and others following suit.
If re-established it would be made very, very clear in the agreement signed that if you do not pay in that week and the syndicate win you get fuck all. If fools want to share their winnings, that is entirely up to them.

If he hardly ever paid in then who was subsidising his non payment? Or were fewer lines bought when he wasnt in?

Nope. Not even an occasional missed payment.
You don't pay. You don't win otherwise what is the point of the syndicate?

We had this in v small staff lottery, the particular cf woman never paid and cake in smikjng, saying 'I'll pay you now', organiser said 'No way'. There have been a lot of court cases on this type of thing, one v interesting one was a man who used the same numbers each week for donkeys was buying his ticket at same time as an elderly couple. Went home, checked numbers and his numbers had come up. But...they weren't on his ticket! Shopkeeper had mixed his up with the couple's quick pick!

This is CF classic!

I'd not speak to the CF beyond gritted teeth basics OR the four idiots who don't see the unreasonableness they've encouraged for that matter.

No, when was he planning to ‘make up’ the money if they hadn’t won? He’s chancing his luck.

I would share equally between the 7 and if the 4 who voted to give him a slice when he hasn’t paid in are so keen they can give him some of their share.

I paid a year’s worth of lottery money when I moved job, because I was scared of this happening! It didn’t, so at the end of the year I withdrew from the syndicate because I wasn’t in such regular contact. What was annoying was that there were several small wins (around £50) in the year which were used for group lunches that I couldn’t make.

The problem now is whenever they win, he will demand his share

The thought occurred to me

My pal's dropped out now, but tells me the rest are foolishly continuing the syndicate, though on what basis I don't know. Supposedly the CF's been told he'll get nothing else, though whether that'll make any difference in the unlikely event they win again is anyone's guess

no and they shold have taken it further-if he didnt like it take them tocourt

He's a CF, but the syndicate sounds hopelessly naive

When it comes to potentially large sums, as with a lottery syndicate, you need a written contract
then stick exactly to the terms of it.

Also, a lottery syndicate should have payment of say one month in advance, to avoid lost payment due to sudden illness / stranded abroad etc

The regulars have already shown him kindness by allowing him to join their syndicate on an ad-hoc PAYG basis. If the win had come for one of the draws in which he had indicated his wish to participate - by paying his premium - then, of course, he would have been entitled to an equal share. If he was sometimes late but always paid every week, I'd say that, morally if not legally, he should receive his share.

As a gesture of goodwill, the seven ACTUAL syndicate members could offer to refund the few premiums that he DID pay over the years, if they so wished, but certainly no more.

It's as crazy as contacting an insurance company after your house has burned down and, when they ask for your policy details, saying "Oh no, I don't yet have an existing policy with you, as I didn't want to waste money on something I might not use, but I'm VERY willing to buy one retrospectively now I know I need it."

No. Our syndicate won £20k at work, only those paid up to date got their share (£1k) each.

Absolutely not. He's probably beyond gutted but the cheeky wanker should have paid up in the first place.

Simples.

When it comes to potentially large sums, as with a lottery syndicate, you need a written contract then stick exactly to the terms of it

I completely agree, but as you say they were naive and probably never expected to win ... and when they did, the whatsit hit the fan

Anyway I really appreciate everyone's opinions; I'll print this thread off and give it to my friend (though as one of the three who voted not to hand over the cash, I doubt it will make her feel any better )

We hear this time and time again with shameless CFs.

Decent people don't want to cause any awkwardness or bad feeling to a person who has decided to act in such a calculated, unreasonable way that is almost guaranteed to cause awkwardness; so they give in to the outrageously unreasonable behaviour to avoid upsetting the CF and, in so doing, completely disregard the bad feeling that is caused to the decent people involved, who (being decent people) don't like to make a fuss about it.

By demanding a share of a syndicate of which he is not a part, this man has caused unavoidable bad feeling: this bad feeling has now been created and cannot be magicked away.

HE has decided to cause it, so he should be the one to suffer from it - not the three innocent syndicate members (and quite probably also the other four, who likely voted Yes to keep the peace, but by no means completely happily).

He clearly WANTS this the bad feeling - if he didn't, he needed to do nothing more than say "That's a lesson learned and it's my own fault that I'm not entitled to a share of the winnings - congratulations to the rest of you."

Did the pregnant woman win her case, does anyone know? She should have as that was very mean, but in your friend’s case that person was a cf to expect a share.

The money should be split. 7 ways

Those who wish to give CF a share should do so from their own pot and not the others

I agree, very unfair to pregnant woman and such a massive amount to be shared! I'd hope a friend would put my share in if I had been in her position.

No way! As someone has said, the whole point is that you pay in not knowing whether you'll ever win. You can't just opt in when there's a win! Otherwise what's stopping everyone in the office doing that?

Everyone I've ever been involved in has been very strict. Don't pay and you're out.

Tricky if it's a really small workplace though.

Have a contract in writing signed by all to include a bit to say if you don't pay one week you have no claim to any winning that week.
Also, someone should keep a list of who pays each week.

Outrageous behaviour on his part. He should be watched. What else is he up to?!?