In an astonishing turn of events, thousands of people across Norway were led to believe they had struck it rich during the recent Eurojackpot lottery, only to later find out it was a result of a blunder by the state-owned gambling firm, Norsk Tipping. The company notified "several thousand" winners on Friday about exorbitant prize amounts, only to clarify the following day that the notifications were erroneous.
The CEO of Norsk Tipping, Tonje Sagstuen, stepped down amidst the fallout, just a day after offering apologies for the confusion. The significant error occurred during the conversion process from Eurocents to Norwegian kroner, where prize amounts were mistakenly multiplied by 100 instead of divided, resulting in winners believing they had much more money than they were entitled to.
Though no incorrect payouts were issued, the financial windfall that was anticipated by many never materialized. Sagstuen has acknowledged the strain this incident has placed on public trust. "I'm deeply sorry for the disappointment caused, and I understand the frustration felt by those affected," she maintained while sharing that she received numerous messages from individuals who had already planned vacations or renovations based on their perceived winnings.
Among those frustrated was a woman who had been notified about a prize of 1.2 million kroner (equivalent to around $119,000), only to discover the actual amount was vastly lower. An emergency meeting was convened with the Ministry of Culture, which oversees the operations of Norsk Tipping, resulting in Sagstuen's resignation after only a month in her position.
Cultural and Equality Minister Lubna Jaffery expressed concern over the incident, emphasizing the importance of robust control procedures within Norsk Tipping, which has exclusive rights to provide gaming services in Norway. This latest controversy follows a series of criticisms regarding multiple technical problems and errors that the company has encountered over the past year. Norsk Tipping has publicly acknowledged this criticism as warranted, stressing the need for improvement in their operations going forward.
