Norwegian Lottery Glitch Falsely Declares Thousands Millionaires and Forces CEO to Resign

Scores of Norwegians were left devastated after receiving false notifications from Norsk Tipping, the state-owned gambling company, suggesting they had won enormous sums in the Eurojackpot. Thousands of winners were initially told they had become millionaires, only to later learn that the amounts were incorrect. Norsk Tipping declined to provide the exact number of people affected but confirmed that the incorrect prize notifications were the result of a technical error.

Currency Conversion Glitch Multiplied Winnings, Prompting Apology and CEO’s Swift Resignation

The root cause of the blunder was an error in the currency conversion process from Eurocents to Norwegian kroner. Instead of dividing the Eurocents to convert them correctly, the system mistakenly multiplied them by 100, grossly inflating the figures. Norsk Tipping receives Eurojackpot amounts from Germany in euros and then converts them internally to Norwegian currency. The company clarified that the issue was rectified by Saturday evening and no incorrect payments were actually made.

The incident prompted widespread disappointment and anger from the public, especially among those who had already made financial plans based on the misleading notifications. Norsk Tipping’s CEO Tonje Sagstuen, publicly apologized and took responsibility for the mishap, resigning from her position just a day after the incident. Sagstuen, who had been with the company since 2014 and served as CEO since September 2023, acknowledged the breach of trust and stated that the criticism from customers and regulators was entirely justified.

Emotional Fallout and Government Scrutiny After Lottery Error Shatters Financial Hopes Nationwide

The error deeply affected many recipients, some of whom were in the midst of major life decisions. One woman told Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation that she was renovating her home and believed she had won 1.2 million kroner, only to discover the real amount was far less. Sagstuen expressed empathy for those affected, admitting that her apologies were “a small consolation” to people who had prematurely celebrated or made plans based on false hopes.

Following the debacle, Norsk Tipping’s board held an emergency meeting with the Ministry of Culture. Culture and Equality Minister Lubna Jaffery emphasized the seriousness of the mistake, particularly since Norsk Tipping holds an exclusive license for gambling services in Norway.

She stressed the need for improved control routines. This incident is not isolated—Norsk Tipping has been under fire in recent months for multiple serious technical problems, and the company has admitted to ongoing issues and justified criticism from both regulators and customers.