Imagine thinking you’ve won a life-changing amount of money in the lottery, only to find out it was all a mistake.
That’s what happened to thousands of people in Norway last week.
In the Eurojackpot drawing, thousands of people were notified that they had won large prizes.
However, it was all a conversion mistake, and the prize amounts were accidentally multiplied by at least 100.
The Apology and Fallout
Norsk Tipping, Norway’s national lottery, apologized for the error and corrected the prize amounts by Saturday evening.
No incorrect payouts were made, but the mistake left many people feeling disappointed and angry.
Ole Fredrik Sveen, one of the affected players, told the Guardian that he received a notification that he had won 1.2 million kroner (about $120,000 USD), only to discover that he had actually won 125 kroner (about $12 USD).
The company’s CEO, Tonje Sagstuen, resigned following the scandal, saying, “I am terribly sorry that we have disappointed so many, and I understand that people are angry with us. I
have received many messages from people who had managed to make plans for holidays, buying an apartment or renovating before they realized that the amount was wrong.
To them, I can only say: Sorry! But I understand that it is a small consolation.”