DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Powerball losers in Iowa were actually winners for about seven hours this week after the state’s lottery mistakenly posted the wrong winning numbers for the game. Lottery officials blamed an unspecified “human reporting error” for the wrong numbers being posted for Monday night’s Powerball drawing.
The incorrect numbers were posted on the Iowa Lottery’s website about 12:30 a.m. Tuesday and it took until 7:15 a.m. before anyone noticed the mistake, took down the numbers and halted payoffs. The lottery said the initial, incorrect numbers would have resulted in prizes ranging from $4 to $200 — officials didn’t specify how many people won.
Those who cashed in a winning ticket will be able to keep the money.