Indiana Man Won $100,000 on a Scratch-Off: Lottery Called It a 'Misprint' and Offered $20

A Hoosier Lottery scratch-off that appeared to show a $100,000 (£74,800) prize has left an Indiana man waiting for answers after officials said the ticket validated at just $20 (£15).

Mike Fields, a forklift driver in Indiana, bought four $5 (£3.75) Space Invaders Cash Invasion tickets after the game went on sale on 2 June. One of them, he said, revealed a rocket ship symbol next to the game's top prize.

The dispute centres on the way the game is played. The official Hoosier Lottery page for Game #2624 says players who find a rocket symbol win the prize shown instantly. Fields said that prize was $100,000.

But when he scanned the ticket, he was notified it was worth $20, according to PEOPLE, which cited WXIN and The Sun. Fields and his wife later went to the Hoosier Lottery headquarters in Indianapolis, expecting the issue to be resolved.

Instead, they were told the game had a technical issue.

'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,' Fields told WXIN.

Hoosier Lottery Halts Space Invaders Cash Invasion

The Hoosier Lottery has now halted sales of the $5 Space Invaders Cash Invasion scratch-off.

On its official game page, the lottery said: 'The $5 SPACE INVADERS Cash Invasion Scratch-off launched with a technical issue. We halted the sales of the ticket to ensure the game experience upholds the integrity we strive to provide.'

Jared Bond, the lottery's director of external affairs, said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE that the issue involved a printing error.

'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,' Bond said. 'The lottery is reviewing all applicable rules and procedures to determine the proper remedy.'

The official prize table showed three top prizes of $100,000, 27 prizes of $2,500 (£1,870), and 667 prizes of $500 (£374). The Hoosier Lottery page listed all three top prizes and all 27 second-tier prizes as unclaimed in an update dated 14 June.

Second Player Says $2,500 Ticket Was Rejected

Fields was not the only player who said he left lottery headquarters without the prize printed on his ticket.

Glendon Jones, another Space Invaders Cash Invasion player, said he believed he had won $2,500 (£1,870). He also went to the Hoosier Lottery headquarters, only to be told there was an error.

'I get here, and they say it's a mess-up, a misprint, and that I'm pretty much out of luck on it,' Jones told WXIN.

CBS affiliate WKRC reported that WXIN's Angela Ganote had been contacted by at least seven people who claimed similar experiences with the game.

The case also spread on Reddit, where a post about the disputed ticket asked whether the player needed a lawyer.

Lottery Post reported that the post had gathered more than 77,000 upvotes, with users debating whether affected players should challenge the lottery's decision.

What Players Must Do Next

The Hoosier Lottery has directed affected players to complete a Space Invaders Protest Form.

The form says it is for consumers who want to register a complaint or protest linked to the Space Invaders Game #2624 scratch-off. It also states that the original ticket must be included with the form. Photographs or copies of tickets are not accepted.

Players must also include a copy of a government-issued ID. The form and ticket must be submitted no later than 30 November 2026, or the complaint will be discarded.

The lottery said players with further questions may call 1-800-955-6886.

A Previous Hoosier Lottery Error

The Space Invaders dispute has drawn comparisons with a separate Hoosier Lottery issue in 2022.

WFYI reported at the time that the lottery halted its $20 (£15) Golden Jackpot Fast Play game after all 632 tickets sold when the game was unveiled came back as winners. After an investigation, the Hoosier Lottery announced that the winning tickets would be honoured.

The current case has not reached that outcome. For now, Fields, Jones, and other affected players must wait while the lottery reviews the disputed tickets and decides what remedy, if any, will apply.