Family embroiled in an ugly feud over a Powerball ticket worth $63MILLION

PHOTO: Kevin and Tania Parkes. The West Australian

Newsagency owners Tania and Kevin Parkes won Powerball in a Lotto syndicate, along with 248 others
They walked away with just under $536,000 and bought a sprawling home with enough parking for 23 cars
Palatial home has a basketball court, football field, Bali-style pool, five bedrooms and four bathrooms
Mark Ing says he entered the Lotto syndicate and claims he is owed a slice of the cash – which the Parkes deny

A couple who won $536,000 in a Powerball syndicate have sold their business and splashed out on a sprawling $3.2 million home with a football field in the backyard.

Kevin and Tania Parkes, who own two newsagencies in Western Australia, entered the #2 Syndicate competition along with 248 others – and were overjoyed when the syndicate won half the $120 million Powerball jackpot on February 24.

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Each member received $261,986, which means the Parkes family walked away with just under $536,000 between them.

But the jackpot win soured when former government worker Mark Ing claimed he was part of the winning syndicate. The Parkes insist that is not true and have since taken him to court.

Mr and Mrs Parkes announced on their joint Facebook profile on Monday they sold their businesses and bought their ‘dream home’ in the southern suburbs of Perth with their winnings.

Kevin and Tania Parkes (pictured with their children) entered a lotto syndicate – all 250 members won a share of $60million

The Parkes bought a $3.2 million house in Perth (pictured) on Monday. They sold their businesses and will move in January

‘Well today this dream home is officially ours. This will be our new dream home in Banjup, Perth, where we will retire in January next year,’ they wrote.

‘We have sold the shop to a beautiful local family and we will train them up over the next seven months for when they take over in January.’

The six-acre property features an atrium-style entrance with floor-to-ceiling windows, five bedrooms, four resort-style bathrooms, two kitchens, theatre room with built-in sub-woofer, and electric curtains.

The balcony at the back of the lavish home overlooks the football oval, a lit basketball court and a Bali-style swimming pool

Outside boasts horse stables, a football field, a lit basketball court, a ‘Bali-style’ swimming pool, and enough parking for 23 cars.

Mr and Mrs Parkes’s daughter Chloe will live in the palatial home until they officially hand the businesses over to new owners in January.

However, their retirement dreams could be upended by Mr Ing – who turned up at a Lotterywest office in March claiming he was part of the winning syndicate.

It has a home cinema (pictured) with in-built subwoofers, along with two kitchens, horse stables and electronic curtains

According to documents filed in the Supreme Court in April, Mr Ing was able to make a claim for the cash, pending proof that he subscribed to the winning syndicate.

Lotterywest said that if the winning Syndicate #2 ticket was found, either the owners of the syndicate or Mr Ing could mail it to officials.

The Parkes claim they reviewed their records and discovered Mr Ing bought into the unsuccessful #1 Syndicate – before subscriptions to the winning syndicate opened.

POWERBALL FEUD TIMELINE:

February, 2022: Kevin and Tanya Parkes start selling Lotto tickets for Syndicate #1. Days later, they start selling tickets within Syndicate #2.

Mark Ing buys a ticket in one of the syndicates.

February 24: Powerball is drawn and Syndicate #2 wins half the division 1 prize – $63million. The money will be split between 250 people who subscribed to the syndicate.

February 28: Lotterywest asks most of the syndicate subscribers, including Mr and Mrs Parkes, for their individually numbered tickets to prove they bought the winning ticket.

Mr Ing attends a Lotterywest office and alleged he bought a Syndicate #2 ticket.

The Parkes could not find records stating Mr Ing bought a ticket in Syndicate #2, but Mr Ing continues to claim he did.

March 11: $261,9860 is paid to each winner, except Mr Ing.

April 14: Despite a formal dispute over the winnings, Lotterywest told the Parkes that it intended to disburse the winnings to Mr Ing.

The Supreme Court barred the payment from being made.

May 23: Kevin and Tanya Parkes buy a $3.2million mansion

The case will return to court on August 2.