William Hill asking for my bet back...

teamcullen

Hi
This afternoon I was in a William Hill bookmakers and their screens showed a race hadn't yet taken place (but was seconds away from doing so). I quickly wrote out a bet and placed it, paid the cash and recieved the slip.

Two minutes later the assistant came over and said the race had already started once I'd placed the bet, and asked for the slip back and then gave me a refund. Turns out the horse (sod's law) won!

Just for in future (not likely but could happen!), were they in their rights to do this or should they have honoured the bet as it was their mistake it got placed and their screens were showing the race hadn't started

Thanks for any advice

gordikin

I've checked and there was no horse called sods law running today.

teamcullen

Haha, horse was called Rainfall, first race at Ascot today.

dacouch

teamcullen wrote: »

Haha, horse was called Rainfall, first race at Ascot today.

I can confirm there was no rain fall at ascot today

stebiz

teamcullen wrote: »

Hi
This afternoon I was in a William Hill bookmakers and their screens showed a race hadn't yet taken place (but was seconds away from doing so). I quickly wrote out a bet and placed it, paid the cash and recieved the slip.

Two minutes later the assistant came over and said the race had already started once I'd placed the bet, and asked for the slip back and then gave me a refund. Turns out the horse (sod's law) won!

Just for in future (not likely but could happen!), were they in their rights to do this or should they have honoured the bet as it was their mistake it got placed and their screens were showing the race hadn't started

Thanks for any advice

You could say that a contract has been formed. Money has been paid and accepted in relation to a betting transaction. Sadly, you will find in their office a disclaimer (I would guess) saying that if the incorrect odds , or a bet given after a race has started, then the bet is void.

nomoneytoday

As she cancelled the best before the horse won, and it was placed in error, I guess it's fine.
You would have been pleased if the horse didn't win

Sandoval

If your bet was placed after the off then it was a void bet so all that can be done is give you your money back.

We use the same tills at Coral as they do at William Hill, and regardless of what the screens in the shop say when the staff try typing in the name of the horse it will just come up as VOID. There is a few seconds grace after the start but once the tills have received the official off time they will no longer allow a bet on the race to be entered into the system.

Bets placed after the official off time are void, you get your money back if the horse goes on to win or lose.

Those are the rules. Always have been, always will be.

Sandoval

stebiz wrote: »

You could say that a contract has been formed. Money has been paid and accepted in relation to a betting transaction. Sadly, you will find in their office a disclaimer (I would guess) saying that if the incorrect odds , or a bet given after a race has started, then the bet is void.

You're half right.

If a member of staff has written and countersigned a price on a betting slip then the bet should be paid out at that price, even if the price is incorrect.

A bet placed after the start of a horse race or dog race is a void bet, there is no debate over whether or not a contract has been formed and so on.

Otherwise people could rush to the counter during busy times with a bet for a race that had run, get it put on without being checked by a member of staff and then get paid out.

This is pretty obvious stuff isn't it?

I don't know what you mean by "sadly".

"Sadly" you can't put a bet on after a race has started?

stebiz

Sandoval wrote: »

You're half right.

If a member of staff has written and countersigned a price on a betting slip then the bet should be paid out at that price, even if the price is incorrect.

A bet placed after the start of a horse race or dog race is a void bet, there is no debate over whether or not a contract has been formed and so on.

Otherwise people could rush to the counter during busy times with a bet for a race that had run, get it put on without being checked by a member of staff and then get paid out.

This is pretty obvious stuff isn't it?

I don't know what you mean by "sadly".

"Sadly" you can't put a bet on after a race has started?

Or maybe fully right.

Like you say 'should' stand but they could still try and hide between the Terms and Conditions of the transaction. Many bookmakers would pay out on these terms, but what about a 'priced bet' after the race has started? They would still rely on their T&C's.

As for 'sadly'. I mean 'sadly' for him.

Sandoval

stebiz wrote: »

Or maybe fully right.

Nope, still half right I'm afraid.

stebiz wrote: »

Like you say 'should' stand but they could still try and hide between the Terms and Conditions of the transaction. Many bookmakers would pay out on these terms, but what about a 'priced bet' after the race has started? They would still rely on their T&C's.

As for 'sadly'. I mean 'sadly' for him.

I'm not sure what you're getting at with the "hiding behind terms and conditions" comment.

I think anyone who uses a betting shop or even those who don't know that you can't place a bet on a race after the official off time and expect to be paid out. Otherwise why not just wait until the horses have run for a bit and put a bet on whoever is out in front.

Again, this seems rather obvious.

As I've said any bet taken after the official off time is void, doesn't matter what is written on it.

stebiz

Sandoval wrote: »

Nope, still half right I'm afraid.


I'm not sure what you're getting at with the "hiding behind terms and conditions" comment.

I think anyone who uses a betting shop or even those who don't know that you can't place a bet on a race after the official off time and expect to be paid out. Otherwise why not just wait until the horses have run for a bit and put a bet on whoever is out in front.

Again, this seems rather obvious.

As I've said any bet taken after the official off time is void, doesn't matter what is written on it.

As somebody who has used a bookie on hundreds (if not thousands) of occasions for Matched Betting and Financial Trades, I can say that it is normal practice for them to 'hide behind T&C's'. I had a bet only a couple of weeks ago that was voided online, because the computer gave the wrong price. Surprisingly it won!!

When anybody goes into 'the land' of bookmakers 'Caveat Emptor'.

As for the voided bet, after off time, I don't think I've said that I disagree with this comment. Makes sense!! I disagree with the odds side though - there are a number of threads on how bookies, have tried to worm their way out;)