Thousands of Norwegian Residents Deceived by System Error, Mistakenly Informed of Large Monetary Wins
On June 30, 2025, Norsk Tipping, Norway's state-owned lottery operator, found itself in the midst of a significant technical error in its Eurojackpot lottery. Approximately 47,000 players received false jackpot alerts, with many receiving notifications of excessive winnings that were 10,000 times greater than the actual prizes[1][2].
The false jackpot amounts were initially reported in eurocents and then converted into Norwegian krone, leading to the false jackpot of 1.2 million kroner (US$118,800) for Brage Halvorsen and Elise Dalen, a couple from Herøy[2]. The incident caused temporary excitement among the winners before they were informed of the error[1].
The error occurred due to a manual coding mistake where eurocents were multiplied by 100 instead of being divided by 100[1]. This oversight led to the widespread distribution of false jackpot alerts, causing a wave of confusion and excitement among players.
NRK, the Norwegian public broadcasting corporation, reported being inundated with people sharing screenshots of the false jackpot messages they received[2]. Many people who received the false jackpot alerts had begun celebrating and planning holidays before being informed of the mistake[1].
The false jackpot incident led to a breach of public trust, resulting in the resignation of Norsk Tipping's CEO, Tonje Sagstuen, following a six-hour crisis meeting at Norsk Tipping HQ[1][2]. Sylvia Brustad, the chairwoman of Norsk Tipping, stated the resignation was necessary to create calm around the company and ensure implementation of improvement measures[2].
The Eurojackpot lottery is a transnational lottery with organizers in Germany. Norsk Tipping receives prize amounts for the Eurojackpot lottery from organizers in Germany[1].
The Norwegian Gambling Authority (Lotteritilsynet) has launched a thorough investigation into Norsk Tippingâs largest lotteries, including Eurojackpot, Lotto, and Vikinglotto, to assess the technical failings and regulatory compliance[1]. The Authority has emphasized how such errors undermine consumer confidence and breach principles of clear communication and protection[2].
In response to the scandal and public backlash, Norsk Tipping's acting CEO, Vegard Strand, admitted the seriousness of the problem and welcomed the regulatory review as a step towards rebuilding trust[1][2]. The latest updates include the official regulatory rebuke of Norsk Tipping, ongoing investigations, internal and external audits by Norsk Tipping, and the CEOâs resignation as a measure to reinforce transparency and responsibility after this Eurojackpot jackpot error[1][2].
Elise Dalen remained philosophical about the episode, saying, "Now it's 120 kroner (US$11) instead."[2] Despite the initial excitement, the couple, who were in the middle of a renovation project, initially thought all their dreams had come true[2]. It took them 15 minutes to realize there had been an error in the false jackpot alert[1].
[1] NRK. (2025, July 1). Norsk Tipping med manuelt feil i Eurojackpot-løpet. Retrieved from https://www.nrk.no/nyheter/norge/norsk-tipping-med-manuelt-feil-i-eurojackpot-l%C3%B8pet-1.16149358
[2] Aftenposten. (2025, July 1). Norsk Tipping skal forstü at feilen i Eurojackpot-løpet var en katastrofe. Retrieved from https://www.aftenposten.no/norge/i/Efv1Xy/norsk-tipping-skal-forsta-at-feilen-i-eurojackpot-l%C3%B8pet-var-en-katastrofe
- The Norsk Tipping Eurojackpot mistake led to thousands of players receiving false jackpot alerts containing winnings that were dramatically inflated due to a coding error, leading to temporary excitement before the error was corrected.
- In response to the lottery error, NRK reported an influx of people sharing screenshots of the false jackpot messages they received, with many already planning celebrations before being informed of the mistake.
- As a result of the lottery error and subsequent breach of public trust, the Norwegian Gambling Authority (Lotteritilsynet) launched an in-depth investigation into Norsk Tippingâs largest lotteries, including Eurojackpot, Lotto, and Vikinglotto.
- Elise Dalen, a winner of the false jackpot, remained philosophical about the episode, stating, "Now it's 120 kroner (US$11) instead," acknowledging the initial excitement that was caused by the coding error in casino-and-gambling games, lotteries, and casino-games run by Norsk Tipping.
