Error winnings

[sporter1]

Hi all!

I am looking for advice on how to deal with a problem encounterd on a famous on line betting site.

I had only just registered with the site and bettted on a mix of greyhound racing and could not believe my luck at winning on the very first day, I started with a 10.00 bet placed over about 5-6 races and won about £100.00 back.

Next day I decided to do the same betting, (I had never really betted in my life so kept my stake low and was staggered to realise that I again had a very big win at least to me it was big, another £90.00 in my account.

Two days and after spending about 29.00 on bets i was £290.00 up.

I decided to go a third day and again my selections came in as winners and I was paid out a similar amount.

I am creature of habit and up until now I had been playing the same numbers and same amount of stakes, I even kept betting on the same time of races (cartoon races)!

On the fourth day I decided to play a higher amount on the races that brought me the highest wins previously, and won an amazing £9,000.

I managed to withdraw the bulk of my winnings to my bank account, and then suddenly found that my account with the online bookmaker had been suspended.

The reason; they gave to me (12 hours later), was that I had been paid out in error; and that the results of the races as shown at the time were incorrect and that the trap positions of the real winners were different than my selections.

They have now claimed back the winnings that were still in my online account, and are demanding that I pay back all other money deposited in my bank account.

How can an error like this go on so long, and what are my rights!

Should I keep the money as I believed that I had won,or has anyone had a similar thing happen to them?

[Simmo!]

Was this actual live greyhound races, or a simulation game Sporter?

If it was a simulator, then if there was a "game malfunction" there will be a term stating all game malfunctions void winnings. However, IMO, unless there was some sort of dishonest behaviour on your part then if they had already paid out your winnings to the bank, that to me is a "closed bet" and well, they should have checked before they paid and that's life. They would probably be within their rightsT&C's to keep winnings that hadn't been cashed out.

It would be interesting to see their correspondence demanding the money back, and also what the game/event was you were betting on. Normally the bigger names are pretty fair in situations like this, so it's surprising that they demand a repayment if their is no "unusual" activity on the account. Who is it?

Cheers

Simmo!

[sporter1]

I am playing it safe for the time being and not publicly naming the site, I am considering my legal position and have asked the operations manager to provide all account details in writing and asked for a full explanation of what went wrong and why it apparently went so wrong for a prolonged period.

The event the bets were placed on was a simulation race and I accept that the T&Cs are in place, my feeling though is there is a lot more to it than just a malfunction of the software.

The operation manager was not willing to be drawn on what caused the error and stated that he would put in writing only the facts that I had been paid out incorrectly and not the reasons behind it.

[anniemac]

Unless they can give you irrefutable proof that the game played incorrectly, I wouldn't give them back a dime. Looks to me like they would have known something was wrong before they paid you, not after the money was gone. Smells like dead fish to me.

[sporter1]

Unless they can give you irrefutable proof that the game played incorrectly, I wouldn't give them back a dime. Looks to me like they would have known something was wrong before they paid you, not after the money was gone. Smells like dead fish to me.

I am the type of player that chooses my selections then goes and does something else, so I check my balance on return and find that I have won if its a generous win I withdraw back to my bank account,.

They are now saying that the results of all the races (about 45 of them) were different than what was on my selections and there computer paid out in error.

To date they refuse to say what caused that error, and I am left feeling like I have acted suspicious because i have withdrawn funds very quickly.

[Simmo!]

I am playing it safe for the time being and not publicly naming the site.

Probably sensible. My advice would be to get all the info, take it as far as you can with the bookie, then use the Pitch a Bitch form on this site to try and get a resolution if you think the ruling was unjust.

[oldtrvlagt]

Unless they can give you irrefutable proof that the game played incorrectly, I wouldn't give them back a dime. Looks to me like they would have known something was wrong before they paid you, not after the money was gone. Smells like dead fish to me.

I agree with what Annie said completely...something doesn't smell quite right. And, I would be keeping an eye on my bank account that the money went into...if they have all the details to put it in...who's to say they won't try to take it back

[Wildfire7]

I agree with what Annie said completely...something doesn't smell quite right. And, I would be keeping an eye on my bank account that the money went into...if they have all the details to put it in...who's to say they won't try to take it back

Theres no danger of that happening, as they won't have his sort code or account number.

Once the withdrawal has been processed it would have been successfully audited, meaning that the money is now bestowed upon the player. If this ever went to court in the UK the casino would not have a leg to stand upon, as the bet is deemed settled at the point of a successful withdrawal.

Sounds like desperate tactics on behalf of the casino to intimidate the player into handing back his winnings.

Stand your ground, and like Simmo said go the PAB route if you have to.

Mike

[love2winalot]

Hiya: I would do nothing at all, an keep your winnings. Here is why. Did they say the software recorded the wrong winners, "FOR ONLY YOU?"

I do not think you were the only person in the entire world who made bets on those races. So, it if recorded the wrong results, then it either did it to everyone, or just you. If it did it to everyone, then players who lost actually won, and others who won, actually lost.

If they want their money back bad enough, then they need to, 'ASK', for it, and not DEMAND it. They also need to explain to you exactly what happened. Who is to say it had not happened before to other players? or that it will not happen again to someone?

Once in a while, here in Las Vegas, a dealer will mistakenly Pay a player for a winning bet, when in fact it was a losing bet. Miscounting the card total in 21, or mistakingly not removing a losing chip in Roulette, and so on. I have had it happen to me 5 times. 3 to the Bad, "a winning bet was removed as a loss", and twice a losing bet paid as a winner. The Rule here is, "When you get paid, or lose, and get up and leave the table, and the next set of bets by other players have been made, IT IS OVER, WIN OR LOSE.

Someone should made a poll as to what they would do?

[kakata]

did you get your money? if the answer is yes..do not worry at all
if the answer is no ...you lost