Bookies... Are are all ****** ?

[hobo]

Just put a few bets on with Stan James for the Ashes, which orignally were accepted, and then I recieved an email saying that they had later been declined.

The bet was basically a 'double' on an an england batter getting 100 runs & also being englands top scorer (both in 1st innings).

Odds were as following:

Pieterson - 45/1
Flintoff - 88/1
Bell - 66/1
Vaughan - 38/1
Trescothic - 36/1
Strauss - 44/1

B@STARDS.

Shouldn't be able to accept the bet & then suddenly decide that they don't want to cover it any more.

B@STARDS.

>> Edited by hobo on Thursday 25th August 10:57

[Tank Slapper]

They presumably accepted the bet, at those odds because they thought it was unlikey.

Now when it looks more likely (or has happened - don't know, haven't been following) they change their mind.

Words 'bed'and 'lie in it' spring to mind.

How much did you put on by the way?

[hobo]

They do have a disclaimer that basically says they can 'pull' any bet for any reason, when they want.

I only had a tenner on each, but thats not the point is it ?

[dds1]

Crap like this is why I only bet on betfair now.

Bets can't be pulled, if you have dealt, then you've dealt.

[maxf]

Betting shops are NOT legally obliged to pay out! Legally the bet is simply a 'Gentlemans Agreement' and is not enforceable by law!

Bloody rubbish if you ask me - I might go and ask for the £4 I lost on the Grand National back!

[shadytree]

Tried a similar bet in the Euro2004. Top goalscorer and leading team scorers. I think they would be go pretty much hand in hand, so hence they wont accept doubles.


Baros and Czech Rep.

Still did ok on Baros on his tod

[hobo]

shadytree said:

Tried a similar bet in the Euro2004. Top goalscorer and leading team scorers. I think they would be go pretty much hand in hand, so hence they wont accept doubles. Baros and Czech Rep. Still did ok on Baros on his tod

Thats fine if they don't accept it, but they did accept these bets, then an hour later withdrew them & just credited my account.

[Mr Whippy]

Is it fine for a punter to also pull their bet when the odds look worse later on?

No!

So why do they get away with it?

So the answer to your question is "yes!"

Dave

[Plotloss]

They are crafty but its nothing new.

Years ago I went in to bet on a nag (got a tip) took odds at 8/1 bet a chunk chap came back even though the horse was still on the SIS at 8's that they could only offer 6's for this bet.

Its just not cricket.

[shadytree]

Plotloss said:

They are crafty but its nothing new. Years ago I went in to bet on a nag (got a tip) took odds at 8/1 bet a chunk chap came back even though the horse was still on the SIS at 8's that they could only offer 6's for this bet. Its just not cricket.

Horse racing I think you'll find Matt ?



>> Edited by shadytree on Thursday 25th August 12:19

[hobo]

Bastards.

Flintoff on 99 not out.

If he gets his ton I SHOULD have won £880.

Tw@ts.

[mybrainhurts]

hobo said:

B@STARDS. B@STARDS. Bastards. Tw@ts.

Not impressed, eh...?

[Hughesie2]

I use a friend of a friend for all my bets, got to know him through a pub i owned, known him for years, takes all sorts of crap bets off me, always accepts em, i have a certian amount of credit with him now as well...

But in answer to your question, no, not all of them are C@nts...


Most though are i have to say...

[hobo]

Funnily enough not.

[simpo two]

hobo said:

If he gets his ton I SHOULD have won £880.

Arse indeed. I can only think of getting Trading Standards involved, but if what they did is legal, you could try going to the media and embarassing them into a settlement. You could imagine the MD getting publicly chewed up on local TV/Watchdog etc and the hundreds of supporting e-mails that will back you up... get an MP involved and you could even end up getting the law changed, seeing as the Govt want us to gamble so much.

[wanty1974]

It is a quirk of the 1963 gaming act (which was written at a time when there were allegedly more blackjack tables in the UK than pubs) - both off-course bookmakers and casino managers can refuse to take bets even at a time when the betting has been deemed to be finished (such as when a roulette ball drops in a slot), should they deem the betting pattern as 'unacceptable'.

Doesn't get you your £880, but hey, I think we've all learnt something today...

[hobo]

As I was quite pissed off that I should have won, I once again emailed Stan James & they responded saying that as a 'Good Will Gesture' they would offer me a total of £ 95.00 (which is basically half stake on each bet, instead of full stake on the double).

Obviously I told them that I would rather walk away & never use them again, than take what in my eyes in a pi55 poor offer.

I await there response.

Its actually getting fun now.

[hobo]

This gets better.

I have just looked at my online statement & they have changed the odds on what I was originally offered:

Flintoff to get 100+ was 11/1 (now 10/1)
Flintoff to be englands top scorer was 8/1 (now 7/1)

So what should have been an 88/1 double is now showing as a 70/1 double.

IS THIS LEGAL ?

[Incorrigible]

I can see their point, pulling a double like that effectivel gives you 15/1 on any century

I can't see why they let you put it on in the first place, it's like doing a double on the same horse in the same race

[Incorrigible]

But if the law has the facility to back off later down the line. Why bother investing in expensive software

Hobo, I'd take the £95 before it becomes £0