Brazil Court Orders Ex‑Partner to Pay Woman $4.4 Million Share of Mega‑Sena Prize

The Tribunal de Justiça de Santa Catarina (TJSC) unanimously ruled that a woman is entitled to receive approximately 1.29 million reais (about 4.4 million Mexican pesos) from a Mega‑Sena lottery prize. The award stems from draw No. 2486 on 31 May 2022, which generated a total prize of 117.5 million reais. The court found a verbal agreement between the woman and her former boyfriend to split any winnings from joint bets.

Evidence presented included a WhatsApp conversation, a notarized audio recording, witness statements and records of partial payments made by the ex‑partner after the prize was collected. The ruling modifies an earlier judgment, granting the woman half of the ex‑partner’s share rather than half of the total prize. The case highlights how digital communications can be used as evidence in civil disputes and underscores the legal recognition of verbal contracts in lottery winnings.