Kenosha, Wis. (CBS 58) -- If you've ever been to a Brewers game, you've probably seen -and maybe even played- the 50/50 raffle.
Tickets are sold, with half the money going to the Brewers Community Foundation charity and the other half going to the fan who buys the lucky ticket.
On July 7th, 2023, a Kenosha woman had that ticket in hand, but the race to claim her prize led to her suing the Brewers, who say she didn't make it in time.
Winning numbers are announced in the middle of the 6th inning. Back in 2023, winners had until the middle of the 7th inning to claim their prize in person.
Annette Flynn says she made it to the redemption table on time. But the Brewers say she was too late.
Annette said when the number was announced, she "Looked at the ticket, looked at my phone, I'm like, 'I won! I won!' And they're looking at me and I said, 'No, really guys, I won. You gotta get up. I gotta get up.'"
The winning amount was $12,849. The money was theirs, if they could redeem their ticket in time.
Annette knew the clock was ticking. "I'm sprinting. Sandals. Running as fast as I can. Weaving in and out of people."
Her husband, Matt, walked behind her.
An usher pointed her one way. She says it was a much longer route than necessary. But she claims she did finally make it in time to where she was told to go.
Annette said, "I showed him my phone, my ticket. He said to me, 'Yes, ma'am.' He says, 'You are, indeed, the winner.' He says, 'But I want you to catch your breath.' He says, 'You have to go up to the upper level to claim the prize.'"
But when she got upstairs, "They looked back at the number, looked at my ticket, and they said, 'Oh, we called another number. You weren't here on time.'"
"Please note that an alternate winner was selected and awarded that day," the Brewers told us in a statement. "As this matter is currently being litigated, we will defer any further comment."
Matt walked to the table, much slower than Annette, but still remembers hearing the end of the inning on an in-stadium tv near the 50/50 table.
Matt said, "And I thought to myself, 'Well, she's got to be there by now. Because it's only feet from where I was."
The Flynns showed us a letter they say the Brewers sent to their attorney a few weeks after the game.
It lists several key times taken from in-stadium video:
- It says the winning ticket number was displayed at 8:51:17 pm
- And the last out in the top of the seventh was recorded at 9:12:38
- That would give Annette 00:21:21 to get from her seat to the 50/50 table
- The letter says Annette did not get there until 9:15:26
- Even at the downstairs table, Annette arrived at 9:14:01,
The Flynns dispute the timeline and they say they have no way of knowing if the times cited by the Brewers are correct.
The Brewers showed the Flynns and their attorney some of the security video cited in the letter. But the Flynns want to see more, including video of Matt near the table.
Annette said, "Prove me wrong. Then I'll go away. But until you show me these, I believe I was there on time."
They maintain it's not about the money.
Matt said, "We've asked for the video that proves either way if we were there or not. If we didn't make it, we don't want the money."
At some point since 2023, the 50/50 raffle rules changed. Fans can now claim their prize within thirty days after the conclusion game.
The Flynns' next court hearing is scheduled in August.