Thousands of Norwegians mistakenly told they won millions in lottery

Thousands of lottery players successful Norway were mistakenly told past week that they had won much wealth than they really did.

Norsk Tipping, the state-owned gambling company, connected Friday said radical who won the Eurojackpot were told they had won millions successful incorrect amounts. It's unclear precisely however galore radical were impacted, but nary customers were paid the incorrect prizes, the institution said successful a quality release.

The mistake stemmed from an mistake erstwhile winnings successful Euros — which the institution receives from Germany — were converted to Norwegian kroner, and they were multiplied by 100 alternatively of divided by 100, the institution said.

"I americium terribly atrocious that we person disappointed truthful many, and I recognize that radical are aggravated with us," Norsk Tipping CEO Tonje Sagstuen said successful a translated statement. "I person received galore messages from radical who had managed to marque plans for holidays, buying an flat oregon renovating earlier they realized that the magnitude was wrong. To them I tin lone say: Sorry! But I recognize that it is simply a tiny consolation."

Eurojackpot tickets basal connected a support successful a lottery retailer. Thomas Banneyer/picture confederation via Getty Images

On Saturday, Sagstuen announced that she was stepping down pursuing the mistake. She had worked astatine the institution since 2014 and had been CEO since September 2023, the institution said.

"As a manager, it has been my work to grip the errors that person occurred, and it has been precise gratifying to spot however a agreed Norsk Tipping has responded to the challenges and worked time and nighttime to lick them," Sagstuen said successful a translated statement. "That is wherefore it is besides incredibly bittersweet to permission Norsk Tipping and each the talented radical who enactment astatine Hamar."

Sagstuen is acceptable to person six months of severance wage per her employment contract, Norwegian broadcaster TV2 reported. As of past year, her wage was reported to beryllium 3,732,000 kroner, oregon $370,338, according to TV2, which cited a regional newspaper.

In the announcement posted connected its website, Norsk Tipping said it has experienced a fig of method problems successful the past twelvemonth and that it's investigating however the mistake happened.

• Norway
• Lottery