Hoosier Lottery stops Space Invaders scratch-off after error

A printing error in a new Indiana scratch-off game has left at least two players believing they won major prizes, only to be told the tickets are worth far less or nothing at all, prompting the state lottery to halt all sales of the game. The Hoosier Lottery confirmed a technical issue with its recently launched $5 Space Invaders Cash Invasion scratch-off, where some tickets displayed prize amounts that did not match the official validation records.

The issue came to light after Mike Fields, a forklift driver from Indiana, scratched a ticket that visibly showed a $100,000 grand prize beneath a rocket ship symbol. However, when he scanned the ticket at a retailer, the system registered it as a $20 winner. Fields traveled to the Hoosier Lottery headquarters in Indianapolis last week, where officials informed him he would not be paid that day and that he would receive information by mail within 30 days.

Another player, Glendon Jones, experienced a similar disappointment. He believed his ticket showed a $2,500 prize and was advised to go to the lottery headquarters to claim it. Upon arrival, he was told the ticket was a misprint and he was not entitled to the winnings.