Indiana man’s $100,000 lottery ticket validated at $20 in printing error

An Indiana man who scratched what appeared to be a $100,000 prize from a new state lottery game was informed it had been validated at only $20, as the Hoosier Lottery acknowledged a printing error, suspended sales of the game and said it is reviewing how to resolve affected tickets.

Mike Fields, a forklift driver, purchased four tickets for the Space Invaders Cash Invasion scratch-off, which launched June 2. When he scanned what appeared to be a winning ticket — the game’s rocket ship symbol is supposed to trigger an instant prize — he was told the ticket was worth $20, not the $100,000 displayed on its face, according to Fox59.

Officials at Hoosier Lottery headquarters in Indianapolis told Mr. Fields he would not be paid that day and would receive written notice within 30 days.

“They never told us, ’No,’” Mr. Fields told Fox59. “They just said that we wouldn’t be paid today, and no other information really, except that we would be informed by mail within 30 days.”

Mr. Fields was not alone. Glendon Jones, another Space Invaders Cash Invasion player, drove to lottery headquarters expecting to collect a $2,500 prize, only to be turned away.

“I get here, and they say it’s a mess-up, a misprint, and that I’m pretty much out of luck on it,” Mr. Jones told Fox59. He was told he had won nothing.

The Hoosier Lottery said a printing error caused some tickets to display prize amounts that did not match the official validation record held by the lottery commission.

“We became aware of a technical issue with our recently launched $5 Space Invaders Cash Invasion Scratch-off,” Jared Bond, the lottery’s director of external affairs, said in a statement. “The issue involved a printing error where some tickets appeared to show a prize different from what was recorded on the lottery commission’s official validation record. The lottery is reviewing all applicable rules and procedures to determine the proper remedy.”

The $5 ticket’s advertised prize structure included three top prizes of $100,000 and 27 second-tier prizes of $2,500. The lottery’s own prize database, updated Friday morning, listed all three top prizes and all 27 second-tier prizes as unclaimed.

Mr. Fields said he was aware of other players who reported similar discrepancies, and said he believed the dispute could support a class action lawsuit, though he said he lacked funds to pursue legal action on his own.

The lottery has posted a disclaimer on the game’s page directing affected players to complete a protest form and mail it with their physical ticket no later than Nov. 30, 2026. Players may also contact the lottery at 1-800-955-6886.

The $5 Space Invaders Fast Play companion game and a related second-chance promotion remain available. The Hoosier Lottery said it suspended Cash Invasion sales “to ensure the game experience upholds the integrity we strive to provide.”