Lottery Organizer Drops Heartbreaking Bombshell After Thousands of People are Accidentally Told They're Winners
Thousands of Norwegians received incorrect lottery winnings notifications due to a "manual error" on June 27
Norsk Tipping customers were told they had won high money prizes in the Eurojackpot draw following a conversion blunder, the company announced
Norsk Tipping CEO Tonje Sagstuen has resigned following the incidentThousands of lottery winners in Norway have been left disappointed after being informed that the big money prizes they had been told they had won were, in fact, declared by mistake.
On Friday, June 27, Norsk Tipping customers were informed that they had won large sums of money in the Eurojackpot draw, only to be told hours later that their winnings amounts were incorrect due to a 'manual error' in calculations.
'Norsk Tipping receives the prize amounts from Germany in Eurocents, and then converts them to Norwegian kroner. It is during this conversion that a manual error was made in the code that is entered into our game engine,' Norsk Tipping announced in a statement the next day.
The company explained that the winnings had been multiplied by 100, instead of being divided by 100, leading customers to believe they'd scooped a lot more money than they actually had.
'The incorrect prize amounts were removed from the website and app on Friday evening,' said Norsk Tipping. The correct prizes were sent at approximately 3:15 a.m. local time and completed by approximately 4:30 a.m. local time. No customers were paid the wrong premium, the company said.
Several Norwegians had already made big plans with their incorrect lottery winnings, including a couple who believed they'd won 1.2 million kroner ($118,901) while working on a home renovation at the time, The Guardian reported.
Another resident also thought they'd won 1.9 million kroner ($188,260) in the mishap. 'It was very fun for a minute,' Lise Naustdal told the outlet.
Norsk Tipping CEO Tonje Sagstuen announced her resignation following the massive error on Sunday, June 29, CBS News reported. She had been in the role since September 2023.
"I am terribly sorry that we have disappointed so many, and I understand that people are angry with us," Sagstuen said in a statement, per the outlet. "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."
Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Norsk Tipping also apologized for the error and for disappointing its customers. The company is reportedly investigating the incident.
PEOPLE has contacted Norsk Tipping for comment but did not immediately hear back.
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