Updated

Updated · Washington Times · Jun 13

Hoosier Lottery Suspends $5 Space Invaders Game After Misprints Showed $100,000 Prizes

Updated

Updated · Washington Times · Jun 13

Hoosier Lottery Suspends $5 Space Invaders Game After Misprints Showed $100,000 Prizes

Q: A ticket says $100,000, the lottery says $20. Who do Indiana's laws say is right?

Indiana law likely favors the lottery’s official validation record, not the prize amount a misprinted scratch-off ticket appears to show. That is the practical rule reflected in how Hoosier Lottery is handling the “Space Invaders Cash Invasion” dispute. The lottery has said some tickets were affected by a printing error that made the symbols on the ticket differ from the game’s official validation data. In Mike Fields’ case, the ticket appeared to show a $100,000 top prize, but the lottery says its system validated it at $20. In Glendon Jones’ case, a ticket that appeared to show $2,500 was deemed a non-winner. That approach is consistent with standard lottery rules: a ticket is generally valid only if it matches the lottery’s official records, and misprints, defects or technical errors do not create a right to a larger payout. The searched material points to that same principle, noting that lottery terms typically make the official validation record controlling when there is a mismatch. That does not necessarily end the matter for players. The Hoosier Lottery has said it is reviewing the applicable rules and procedures to determine a remedy, and it has told affected players to file protest forms and submit original tickets by Nov. 30, 2026. So the legal default appears to favor the lottery’s record, but compensation beyond that could still depend on the agency’s review or a court challenge.

3 articles · Updated · Washington Times · Jun 13

$5 Space Invaders Cash Invasion tickets that appeared to show prizes as high as $100,000 were validated at far less — one player’s ticket scanned at $20 and another claimant was told he had won nothing.
A printing error caused some displayed prize amounts to conflict with the lottery commission’s official validation record, prompting Hoosier Lottery to suspend sales and review what remedy applies to affected tickets.
The game launched June 2 with three $100,000 top prizes and 27 $2,500 second-tier prizes, yet the lottery’s database still listed all of those prizes as unclaimed on Friday morning.
Affected players were told they would receive written notice within 30 days, and the lottery now directs them to mail a protest form and physical ticket by Nov. 30, 2026.
The dispute has fueled talk of possible legal action from players, while the separate $5 Space Invaders Fast Play game and second-chance promotion remain on sale.