Lotto: a resident of Brussels claims €3m after a bug
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16 Dec 2025 •
Reading time: 3 minutes A player from Brussels filled in a grid with the six winning numbers in a Belgian Lotto draw, but a technical fault prevented him from validating his entry, effectively cancelling his chance of cashing in on a €3 million jackpot.
The fatal bug just before validation
The story begins one evening more than a year ago, when this man decided to try his luck online. He filled in four Lotto grids and progressed to the final stages of validating his ticket. Just as he was about to pay, his computer screen froze. A temporary message indicated that the National Lottery website was undergoing maintenance. The immediate consequence was that he could not complete the purchase of his tickets.
A few hours later, during the draw, he was completely surprised. According to this player, one of his lottery tickets – never validated – contained the right six numbers, the winning combination for the exceptional €3 million jackpot. Believing it to be a mistake, he began to collect screenshots and proof of his attempt to take part.
The player persists
Speaking to RTL Info journalists, he made no secret of his bitterness:
“I played and made it to the final stages. It was the bug that was responsible, not me. I did my bit.”
His approach has since turned into an administrative and then a legal battle. His objective is now clear: to obtain legal recognition of his participation in the draw and, ultimately, to collect the prize he believes is rightfully his.
The National Lottery‘s response is clear and unequivocal. The company points out that the rules are precise: only tickets validated within the legal time limit entitle the winner to a prize. Without confirmation of participation, no jackpot claim is admissible, whatever the result of the draw.
A spokesman, Jérémie Demeyer, illustrated the institution’s position with a telling metaphor:
“You fill your shopping trolley and then you arrive at the checkout at the last moment. There’s a computer problem at that point, and you can’t do your shopping. You return your purchases to Colruyt and leave without them. It’s more or less the same thing.”
In other words, without a validated payment, there is simply no legally binding transaction between the player and the company. Consequently, the player cannot be considered to have taken part in the game. This position is based on the general conditions accepted at the time of each participation, which are binding on the player and the organiser.
An offer to settle refused?
Several media outlets are reporting that the National Lottery has suggested a compromise solution to bring this matter to a close. According to these sources, a settlement offer of €50,000 was made to the player in exchange for dropping the lawsuit. This offer – well below the €3 million claimed – was reportedly not accepted. For the time being, the player prefers to pursue his case through the courts.
This information has not been officially confirmed by the National Lottery, but has been relayed by journalists who are following the case closely, notably in interviews with the Belgian media.