DC Lottery says coding error blocked winning Pick tickets for three weeks

A software mistake inside the DC Lottery’s computerized draw system shut out a large group of tickets from winning for nearly three weeks.

The problem affected DC 3, DC 4, and DC 5 mid-day and evening drawings. From March 31, 2026, through April 21, 2026, the system would not generate combinations with repeating digits. That meant tickets built around patterns like 111, 229, or 311 had no path to a prize during that stretch.

What went wrong

DC Lottery said a coding error tied to a third-party vendor configuration caused the issue during a routine recertification of the draw machines. The games use a random number generator, and the error blocked repeats instead of allowing the full range of number combinations.

In practical terms, the system only produced “single” combinations with no repeated digits. For Pick-style games, that is a major distortion because repeat-digit outcomes are a normal part of the draw pool.

Why players noticed

The problem came into focus after observers tracked an unusual run in DC 5: draw after draw landed on combinations with no duplicate digits. That kind of streak is possible on paper, but the longer it went, the less believable it looked.

Once the pattern stretched to 41 consecutive drawings without a repeat digit in DC 5, it raised a serious red flag about whether the draw settings were functioning correctly.

This is the core issue for players: the game was still drawing numbers, but it was not drawing from the full set of outcomes the public reasonably expects.

Which tickets could be affected

Anyone who bought tickets for DC 3, DC 4, or DC 5 mid-day or evening drawings during the affected window should keep those tickets.

• Affected dates: March 31, 2026 to April 21, 2026
• Affected games: DC 3, DC 4, and DC 5
• Issue: repeat-digit combinations could not be drawn

The lottery said it moved to a backup system on April 22, 2026 while the problem is reviewed and corrected.

What happens next

DC Lottery says it plans to provide a remedy for players who may have missed legitimate wins because of the error. That next step matters more than the technical explanation. Players need clear instructions on claims, eligibility, and how the lottery will calculate compensation if a winning outcome was effectively made impossible.

For now, the most important advice is simple: do not throw away tickets from the affected period.

This case also lands in a broader pattern of lottery system failures where software or draw configuration issues change the real odds without players knowing. If you play local daily numbers games regularly, it is a reminder that draw integrity is not just a back-end issue; it directly shapes who can win and who cannot.

For more coverage like this, check the latest lottery updates and follow our daily lottery game pages for new rulings, claims guidance, and draw news.