The Montana Lottery issued an apology on Saturday after technical difficulties forced the abrupt shutdown of the Montana Millionaire game on Sunday, Nov. 1. Hundreds of Montanans lined up early that morning hoping to purchase tickets for the state’s most popular draw, only to encounter slow‑moving printers, unexpected instant‑win ticket releases and a malfunctioning mobile app.
What went wrong
Lottery spokesperson Celina Clift explained that staff noticed the ticket‑printing system was operating far below normal speed during the launch. “Tickets were printing extremely slowly,” Clift said, a problem that quickly threatened the ability to serve the crowds waiting in line.
In addition, the system began issuing a high volume of instant‑win tickets earlier than scheduled, creating further confusion for players and retailers. The lottery also experienced outages on its mobile player app and website, making it difficult for customers to receive real‑time updates about the situation.
Immediate response
Faced with these combined issues, officials decided to shut down the game while they worked with IntraLot, the company that provides the technical platform for Montana Millionaire, to identify and correct the faults. The lottery emphasized that all instant‑win tickets sold on Nov. 1 will still be honored.
Players who bought an instant‑win ticket but did not receive the barcode slip needed to claim a prize have two options: they can photograph the ticket and submit it through the Montana Lottery website, or they can visit a lottery office in person to obtain the necessary documentation.
Tickets remain valid
Clift stressed that every Montana Millionaire ticket purchased on Nov. 1 should be retained, even if it was an instant‑win ticket. “Those tickets will still be valid for the grand‑prize drawings, including the $250,000 drawing on Monday,” she said. The lottery assures players that the tickets still give them a chance to win the million‑dollar prizes offered in this year’s game, which includes six $1 million grand‑prize drawings.
Apology and next steps
“We apologize. We hate this just as much as all the players and sales agents because this is pretty much our favorite game of the year, just like the players,” Clift said. “We appreciate everyone’s patience with the game. I know we put everyone through a lot on Sunday, but we are doing the best we can to get this game back up and running.”
The lottery has not yet announced a new launch date for Montana Millionaire, and Clift could not confirm whether sales would resume at the usual 5:30 a.m. start time when the game returns. The agency says it is working diligently to resolve the technical issues and will provide an update as soon as a replacement date is set.
What players should do now
- Hold onto any Montana Millionaire ticket purchased on Nov. 1.
- If you have an instant‑win ticket without a barcode slip, submit a photo online or visit a lottery office for assistance.
- Watch the Montana Lottery website and official social‑media channels for the next announcement on the game’s return.
Montanans can look forward to the continued chance of winning a million dollars once the lottery resolves the technical setbacks and reopens ticket sales.
Original reporting: NewsTalk KGVO 1290 (Townsquare) — read the source article.
