Norsk Tipping mistakenly notified thousands in Norway of large lottery prizes following a currency conversion error. The company's leadership acknowledged the mistake as a breach of trust, pledging to improve after receiving widespread criticism.
Lottery Error Leaves Thousands in Norway Disillusioned After False Win Notifications
Lottery Error Leaves Thousands in Norway Disillusioned After False Win Notifications
A Norwegian state-owned lottery agency, Norsk Tipping, faces backlash after erroneously informing players of significant winnings due to a coding error.
Thousands of hopeful lottery players in Norway faced a harsh reality last week when it was revealed that messages announcing "large winnings" were sent erroneously. Norsk Tipping, the state-owned entity responsible for operating the EuroJackpot lottery, issued an apology after discovering that a coding error had led to the false claims.
The miscommunication stemmed from a manual error in currency conversion - instead of dividing Euro amounts by 100 to convert to Norwegian kroner, the code mistakenly multiplied the figures. This significant slip-up resulted in notifications that indicated "erroneously high prizes."
Norsk Tipping acknowledged the gravity of the situation and expressed regret over the unintended encouragement in their misleading communications. "This has undoubtedly caused false hopes," said the outgoing chief executive, Tonje Sagstuen, during her departure. She received numerous messages from affected players who had begun to make plans for vacations or home purchases based on the mistaken winnings.
The lottery's total prize pool for the draw in question was approximately $50 million, although details regarding the specific number of players affected and the amounts they believed they had won have not been disclosed. Norwegian officials and users have criticized Norsk Tipping for the breach of trust and the distress caused by the erroneous notifications.
In response, Sylvia Brustad, the chairwoman of Norsk Tipping, vowed to restore faith in the organization, stating, "We are determined to clean up and improve ourselves." The backlash from customers and government sources highlights the need for stringent checks within such institutions to avoid similar errors in the future. The company faces a significant challenge in retaining public trust after this major oversight.
