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COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina lottery officials say they may have to pay out nearly twice in prizes as much as they expected because of a Christmas Day glitch.
The South Carolina Education Lottery Commission announced at Tuesday's meeting that it may owe more than $35 million after everyone who bought Holiday Cash Add-A-Play was a winner for two hours on Dec. 25. They earlier announced about $19 million in prizes.
The lottery wants a full investigation before deciding whether to pay the winners. Board members were told the company that ran the game, Intralot, only agreed Tuesday to an independent investigation.
The $1-a-play game generated trees on a tic-tac-toe grid paying up to $500 when someone gets three in a line. Lottery officials say trees were being printed in all nine slots.
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