If your former spouse has several exes, the question becomes: How many exes can claim benefits on one person's record?
The answer: As many ex-spouses as qualify can all take benefits based on the same person's contribution record. A person could feasibly have four or five ex-spouses -- from marriages that each lasted 10 years or longer -- and all of the ex-spouses could take benefits.
The other ex-wives of Betty's ex-husbands were not affected by Betty's decision of whose record to claim Social Security benefits on. In fact, one of her ex's ex-wives encouraged Betty to go back to the Social Security office to see if she could get higher benefits.