Alabama Man Sues Waitress Over Lottery Ticket
11 December 2000
MOBILE, Alabama – Dec. 11, 2000 -- As reported by Alabama Mobile Register:
``Edward Seward, who once passed out Florida Lotto tickets to Grand Bay Waffle House workers, is suing the former waitress who claimed a $10 million jackpot after a year of court battles.
``In a complaint filed late Friday in Mobile County Circuit Court, Seward contends that lottery winner Tonda Dickerson committed fraud by accepting a lottery ticket from him with the understanding that she would share the winnings with her co-workers.
``Her ticket won the jackpot, and she kept all of the winnings to herself.
``…Seward never would have given Dickerson a ticket if he'd known she wouldn't share the jackpot, his attorney, Stephen Clements, said Friday.
``…Seward, a regular customer at the restaurant, handed out Lotto tickets to Dickerson and four other workers there days before the March 6, 1999, drawing of Florida's state-run lottery game. Each ticket contained five sets of numbers or quick-pics, which means the tickets cost $5 each.
``Dickerson held a ticket that contained the winning numbers.
``When she refused to share the winnings with her four co-workers, Clements helped them file a lawsuit claiming she was obligated by a verbal agreement to share the jackpot.
``Seward testified on behalf of the foursome during the trial, saying there was a deal to share the money. All he expected from the bonanza, Seward said, was a new pickup truck…"
(Eventually, after the lawsuits, Dickerson got to keep all the money)