### Lottery Mix-Up in Norway: A Major Error Leaves Thousands Disappointed On June 30, 2025, Norsk Tipping, Norway's state-owned lottery operator, issued an apology to approximately 47,000 players who were mistakenly informed that they had won substantial prizes in the Eurojackpot lottery. The error, attributed to a coding mistake in currency conversion, led to many believing they had won life-changing sums of money, only to be told later that it was a mistake. The company clarified that no incorrect payouts were made, but the incident has left many players feeling disheartened and confused about the situation [https://www.cp24.com/news/world/2025/07/01/thousands-in-norway-mistakenly-told-they-won-big-on-lottery, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/30/norway-lottery-error-apology]. ### Breakdown of the Incident: Key Elements of the Lottery Error 1. **Nature of the Error**: - A coding error in currency conversion inflated the prize amounts communicated to players, multiplying Eurojackpot winnings by 100 instead of dividing by 100 when converting from Euro cents to Norwegian kroner [https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3316430/47000-winning-lottery-tickets-norway-turn-out-be-costly-conversion-mistake]. 2. **Scope of Impact**: - Approximately 47,000 players received notifications indicating they had won large sums, leading to widespread excitement and subsequent disappointment when the error was revealed [https://www.yahoo.com/news/thousands-norwegians-mistakenly-told-d-125246016.html]. 3. **Company Response**: - Norsk Tipping publicly apologized for the error, stating that it was a "manual error" and emphasized that no incorrect payouts had been made [https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/europe/thousands-in-norway-celebrated-becoming-millionaires-only-to-be-told-it-was-a-lottery-error-c-19197868]. 4. **Leadership Changes**: - Following the incident, the CEO of Norsk Tipping resigned, indicating the seriousness of the error and its impact on the company's reputation [https://walesonline.co.uk/news/world-news/lottery-error-sees-thousands-told-31957286]. ### Supporting Evidence: Data and Reactions - **Number of Affected Players**: 47,000 players were misinformed about their lottery winnings [https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/30/norway-lottery-error-apology]. - **Nature of the Error**: The mistake involved a significant miscalculation in currency conversion, which led to inflated prize notifications [https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3316430/47000-winning-lottery-tickets-norway-turn-out-be-costly-conversion-mistake]. - **Public Sentiment**: Many players expressed feelings of disappointment and frustration after the error was revealed, highlighting the emotional impact of the situation [https://www.dexerto.com/entertainment/lottery-apologizes-after-thousands-mistakenly-told-they-won-millions-3220799]. ### Conclusion: Summary of Findings In summary, the lottery error in Norway has had significant repercussions for both players and the operator, Norsk Tipping. The key findings are as follows: 1. **Error Identification**: A coding mistake led to thousands being misinformed about their lottery winnings due to incorrect currency conversion [https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3316430/47000-winning-lottery-tickets-norway-turn-out-be-costly-conversion-mistake]. 2. **Public Apology**: Norsk Tipping issued a public apology and confirmed that no incorrect payouts were made, but the emotional fallout was considerable [https://www.yahoo.com/news/thousands-norwegians-mistakenly-told-d-125246016.html]. 3. **Leadership Accountability**: The incident prompted the resignation of the CEO, reflecting the seriousness of the error and its impact on the company's credibility [https://walesonline.co.uk/news/world-news/lottery-error-sees-thousands-told-31957286]. This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of accuracy in communications, especially in high-stakes situations like lotteries, where the emotional investment of players is significant.