An Australian man has lost his fight to claim half his estranged wife's lottery winnings.
The couple had been separated for six months when the wife won her incredible AUD$ 6 million prize, but the man commenced legal proceeding via the Family Court, claiming the money used to purchase the ticket had come from "joint funds" generated by a business run primarily by him.
The Couple has not been named, but the wife argued the money had come from other sources, including her sister, to whom she gave a AUD$ 1 million share of the prize.
The appellate bench said the source of the money was not relevant because the couple was living separate lives.
Judges Murray Aldridge, Stephen Thackray, and Peter Murphy said: "At the time the wife purchased the ticket, regardless of the source of the funds, the 'joint endeavor' that had been the parties' marriage had dissolved."
