A dispute over a $100,000 cash prize handed out by a Sydney car dealership will be settled in court.

The money was awarded to Darin and Kim Seymour as part of MacDonald Auto Group’s 50th anniversary celebrations. The couple was one of five finalists that bought cars at the dealership.

But the runner-ups claim they made a verbal agreement with the Seymours before the draw to split the winnings.

Each side of the dispute has filed affidavits with the court laying out their side of the story. No one was willing to talk to CTV News on camera.

In Kim Seymour’s affidavit, she states the suggestion came from another finalist.

"I did not respond to it,” Seymour said in the statement. “I immediately started to feel anxious and that anxiety grew each time she made the comment."

Seymour says the situation has left her emotionally distraught and on stress leave because people were showing up at her work and home.

The other finalists have a different story. According to the affidavits, they state all five met in a room at the dealership and verbally agreed to split the money, saying Seymour stated, "Her word was good."

"I observed Mrs. Seymour to look happy that she would be leaving with $20,000. I do not believe there was any pressure put on Mrs. Seymour or any other finalists to agree to the agreement," said finalist Rita MacMullin in her affidavit.

The court must now decide who gets the money. Halifax lawyer Dillon Trider, who is not involved in this court case, says both verbal and written agreements are considered legally valid.  

“There's no strict requirement for a contract to be in writing,” Trider said. “Although it can be much harder to prove a contract exists if it's verbal. The elements are the same. You need offer acceptance, consideration, so something changing hands.”

Seymour's husband Darren stated in the affidavits his wife suffers from anxiety and would find it hard to say no to a group of strangers.

"I won $100,000 in a draw. I would not under any circumstances agree to give $80,000 of it away to four strangers," Darren Seymour said in the affidavit.

MacDonald Auto Group calls the situation unfortunate.

"We completed the contest and promotion in keeping with the predetermined rules of the contest, as that was our legal requirement,” said the car dealership. “We feel it is unfortunate that this amazing contest has been tainted by the dispute between the final contestants but we are not and do not intend to be part of that dispute."

The judge has issued an interim order that protects the winnings from being spent until a decision can be reached.

For the sake of full disclosure, CTV News reporter Ryan MacDonald is the son of the owner of MacDonald Auto Group.