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.
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.
Mark Ing (pictured) used to work in consumer protection for the Western Australian government. He claims he bought into the winning syndicate
The Parkes’ new home has an open-plan living and dining area, an atrium-style entrance, and enough parking for 23 cars
They claimed to have asked Mr Ing to tell Lotterywest of the findings, but he maintained his claim on the winnings and refused to speak with them.
Lotterywest paid the winnings to all #2 Syndicate subscribers on March 11, and did not include Mr Ing.
However, on April 14 – even though there was a formal dispute over the winnings – officials told the couple they intended to pay Mr Ing.
The payout has since been blocked by the Supreme Court.
Tania and Kevin Parkes (pictured with their children after their Powerball numbers were called) run a number of Lotto syndicates from their newsagency in WA
Mr Ing has worked as a senior regional officer at the WA Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety since March 2020.
Before that, he worked at the Consumer Protection’s Property Industries branch as a compliance officer.
The matter will return to court on August 2.
A middle-aged man from Coffs Harbour in NSW won the other half of the $120 million Powerball jackpot.