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Hundreds of claims paid out after Hoosier Lottery game error

Hundreds of Hoosiers have collected thousands of dollars in lottery winnings from a faulty game introduced – and then shut down immediately – in March.
Courtesy Hoosier Lottery
Hundreds of Hoosiers have collected thousands of dollars in lottery winnings from a faulty game introduced – and then shut down immediately – in March.

Hundreds of Hoosiers have collected thousands of dollars in lottery winnings from a faulty game introduced – and then shut down immediately – in March.

The Hoosier Lottery released a new, $20 fast play ticket game. But all 632 tickets sold came back as winners, prompting the lottery to halt sales.

The lottery announced it would honor all those tickets as winners. Lottery Commissioner Chair William Zielke said that was a difficult and expensive decision.

“But I think it was the correct one for the lottery to maintain that kind of commitment and loyalty amongst our players," Zielke said.

About two-thirds of the tickets sold have already been claimed and paid out.

An investigation into the problem revealed a software error by IGT, the private company that runs the lottery for Indiana. Zielke said the Hoosier Lottery will seek financial compensation from IGT.

Contact reporter Brandon at  bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at  @brandonjsmith5.

Copyright 2022 IPB News. To see more, visit IPB News.

Brandon Smith has covered the Statehouse for Indiana Public Broadcasting for more than a decade, spanning three governors and a dozen legislative sessions. He's also the host of Indiana Week in Review, a weekly political and policy discussion program seen and heard across the state.
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