Coding error gives thousands in Norway a false lottery jackpot
What's the story
Thousands of Norwegians were wrongly informed about winning huge sums in the Eurojackpot draw, thanks to a blunder by state-owned gambling operator Norsk Tipping. The company admitted that "several thousand customers were notified of incorrectly high prizes." The error occurred during the conversion of prize amounts from euros to Norwegian kroner due to a manual coding mistake in their game engine.
Fallout
Incident drew sharp criticism from customers and regulators
The inflated prize amounts were displayed on Norsk Tipping's website and mobile app but were later taken down. The company confirmed that no incorrect payouts had been made. The incident drew sharp criticism from customers and regulators, including the Norwegian minister of culture. In light of the blunder, CEO Tonje Sagstuen announced her resignation after holding the position since September 2023.
Public reaction
Wave of celebrations among Norwegians who thought they had won
The error led to a wave of celebrations among residents in Norway who thought they had won big. One couple in Heroy even thought they could afford a new car after winning 1.2 million kroner (£87,000). However, the joy was short-lived as they found out about the mistake. Lise Naustdal also thought she had won almost 1.9 million kroner (£138,000), calling it "a very fun minute."