In the city of Tui, located in the province of Pontevedra (Galicia), a court ruled that the winner of a Spanish instant scratch lottery is obligated to pay his colleague 100,000 euros. The reason for this decision was a proven verbal agreement between the two men regarding the distribution of the winnings.
This is reported by Finway
Case Overview: Verbal Agreement Between Colleagues
In 2022, one of the two friends won nearly 1 million euros in a lottery organized by the charity ONCE. The plaintiff, who also works with the winner, stated that even before purchasing the ticket, they had agreed: in the event of a win, one of them would give the other 10% of the prize. After receiving the winnings, the winner initially confirmed his intention to share the money, but later refused to fulfill his promise, arguing that his daughter disagreed.
“If one of us wins a big prize, he will give the other 10% of the amount.”
The colleague turned to the court, demanding the enforcement of the agreement. Key evidence included testimonies from both parties, confirmation of the nature of their relationship, and an audio recording of a phone conversation in which the winner effectively acknowledged the existence of such an agreement.
Court Ruling: Legal Validity of Verbal Agreements
The court recognized the verbal agreement as legally binding, emphasizing that the evidence supports its existence. The absence of a written contract was not a basis for rejecting the claim. The court ordered the defendant to pay 100,000 euros, which constitutes 10% of the winnings, as well as additional interest for the delayed payment.
This case has set a precedent for the Spanish legal system, as it demonstrated that verbal agreements, if convincingly proven, have full legal force. From now on, even a promise not documented in writing can be considered a financial obligation.