OAP's delight after being refunded on £2000 failed bet for Rangers to win last season’s league title

Weetoonblue

Well-Known Member
Just in case anyone had a bet last season.

That is a large bet he put on.


James Graham fears hundreds of fans will miss out on getting money back after ditching betting slips when Celtic were awarded the 2019/20 title.

A pensioner has told how he was given a surprise refund on a £2000 failed bet on Rangers to win last season’s league title.

But James Graham fears hundreds of fans will miss out on getting money back after ditching betting slips when Celtic were awarded the 2019/20 title.

The 83-year-old, from Cambuslang, near Glasgow, only found out months after placing the bet that he was due a refund because Ladbrokes decided to void bets that still had a “mathematical chance” of winning.

He’s now locked in a fight with rival bookie William Hill for the return of the identical £1000 bet he placed with them.

James said: “I had no idea. I was lucky, really, because Rangers wouldn’t have won the league but the rules state that if the football is not completed you’re entitled to your money back.

“Umpteen people who I told in my local area said they didn’t know the rules. How many could that be across Scotland? People could be due thousands.”

The SPFL called time on the 2019/20 season in May – giving Celtic, who were 13 points ahead of Rangers, their nine-in-a-row title. Clubs voted in favour of the controversial move after crunch talks, which condemned Hearts to relegation.

But with eight rounds still to play, there were fears bets could be voided. James only found out he could try to recoup his cash when he placed a bet months later.

He said: “I was told to go to Ladbrokes for a deadlock number. They came back within a couple of days and gave me my £2000 back. I’ve still got the William Hill ticket but it’s in deadlock.”

After Celtic won, Ladbrokes announced it would void “ante post” bets – when a market exists in advance of an event– that still had a chance of winning. A statement said: “We have settled ante post bets in line with our rules, and have paid out on Celtic as champions, Hearts being relegated and Odsonne Eduoard being top season scorer. To be as fair as possible, we also decided to void any ante post bets that still had a mathematical chance of winning, and refund the stakes in full.”

William Hill told the Sunday Mail it would not be returning James’s stake.

A spokesman said: “Celtic were crowned champions. As such, we paid out on Celtic. If we voided all bets, those who backed Celtic would be up in arms, pointing to the fact they were crowned by the SFA.”
 
If I was his kids I'd be looking at a power of attorney. Granda is spanking the inheritance on all sorts. Who knows what else the old dog is splashing the cash on.

Some amount for a single bet.
What makes you think that any money the old fella has should go to his kids, he might not have any, or they don’t deserve it.
im not suggesting he gamble it either.
 
Another poster on here had a decent stake on Rangers doubled with Liverpool for last season also with Ladbrokes. Rangers leg voided and Liverpool settled as a win, this was all sorted in September.
 
For betting purposes if a race doesn’t finish its voided, it really is that simple. Brilliant PR from Ladbrokes, done the right thing.
William Hill will not refund bets and are cheating bastards.
Lot of variables to that to be fair. For example if you bet over 2.5 goals in a Football match and it’s 3-0 after 30 minutes but called off after 60 minutes you’ll get paid out on it, if you’ve backed unders you’ll have a loser.

Some Hills punters will have had that voided as well on the quiet.

All PR and different from customer to customer now mind across the Industry. Ladbrokes will have shafted someone yesterday and Hills looked after someone etc... on the same score. Minefield now and the consistency shocking, leaves Staff with a very hard job at times.
 
Rather judgemental of you :rolleyes:
Blokes probably loaded and paid off all their mortgages! “OAP” haha, surprised they never said he “faces a cold, hard winter now without the money he believes he is rightfully owed by the Bookmaker who made x billion profit last year”.
 
I used to bet on Tiger Woods in most of the tournaments he played in but specially in majors.

He was so short ( odds wise ) you had to bet big to win but he more often than not delivered.

Single bets are the most likely bets to win but if it was that easy there wouldn’t be any bookmakers left.

Accept that you will in all probability lose your money or don’t bet.

Don’t want to sound crass but he must be able to afford it or he wouldn’t be doing it.

I’ll also say that unless you get some big ITV 7 bet or similar you will never beat the bookies.

You will get a turn but you will lose overall, ask most who bet and they will claim they are ‘ about even ‘, no chance.
 
If I was his kids I'd be looking at a power of attorney. Granda is spanking the inheritance on all sorts. Who knows what else the old dog is splashing the cash on.

Some amount for a single bet.
As he has taken on the bookies legally and won, it would suggest he would undoubtedly have capacity to spend his own money on anything he wants to.

Kids can do feck all about it.
 
I got my £200 bet back from bet365 and ran it up to £900 early in the season backing away teams under the usual odds while bookies worked out home advantage was massively reduced. Withdrew about £400-450. Bought a few retros tops. And then after a few successful weeks on euro lines I have had three absolutely shocking weeks and lost the lot unless rangers -1 bail me it today.
 
I am also "locked" in a battle with Skybet for bets on us last season, cunts settled them as losers so waiting for an IBAS decision - I stand to get 30 quid back if I'm successful so would make a nice Christmas if they can get it confirmed by then
 
How does he know Rangers wouldn’t have won the league?
It would have been the reporter asking him if he thought Rangers would have won. I could imagine the old boy saying maybe, then the reporter pressing him and eventually going with probably not. The reporter knows that Celtic fans reading it will not like to hear good news regarding a Rangers fan. That line alone balances it out for their diseased minds. This is the society we live in today where Celtic fans are appeased at every opportunity.
 
The guy's 83, he's probably got little time left and if he wants to spend it chasing thrills and gambling his hard earned cash that's up to him.

Odd behaviour of folk trying to manage other people's money.
 
If I was his kids I'd be looking at a power of attorney. Granda is spanking the inheritance on all sorts. Who knows what else the old dog is splashing the cash on.

Some amount for a single bet.

I'm sure your comment is tongue in cheek but anyway, its his money to do with whatever he pleases.
 
Hills are at it saying they can’t void the bet as they have paid out on a team being awarded an incomplete league. Odds of six pounds to win one pound at the start of last season would not have attracted many bets from everyday punters.
 
Hills are at it saying they can’t void the bet as they have paid out on a team being awarded an incomplete league. Odds of six pounds to win one pound at the start of last season would not have attracted many bets from everyday punters.
They weren’t 6s on mind - more like 1/2 wasn’t it?


I am also "locked" in a battle with Skybet for bets on us last season, cunts settled them as losers so waiting for an IBAS decision - I stand to get 30 quid back if I'm successful so would make a nice Christmas if they can get it confirmed by then
Price were you on at?
 
He must be loaded if he can afford to put bets on like that.

But he’s probably worked hard over the years and can do what he wants with his money.

It’s like if I suggest to my mum to buy something or upgrade the house, she says that’s your inheritance (+ my sister). I’ll appreciate it when the time comes but I’d prefer them to spend what they’ve earned and have a nice retirement. My Dad has heart issues and isn’t allowed to drive at the moment. I’d prefer them to get a taxi to anywhere they need to go if I’m at work but they use their bus passes :))

My dad has never been in a bookies in all the years I’ve been alive so at least he won’t bet the money away.
 
From a personal interest (nowhere near the extent of Mr Graham's), does anyone know which way Betfred are settling it?

Didn't give it too much thought at the time, due to the malaise at how the league was 'awarded'. Kind of assumed that bookies being bookies, they would have a get out clause.
 
Well done Ladbrokes. Setting the principle. Can't win or lose a bet when no team won or lost anything last year. Thats whats called sporting integrity.
 
Happens every day mate in punting, nothing to do with integrity.
I'm not talking about integrity of the bookies. They dont have any. What I'm talking about is the integrity of the competition. Money wouldn't be refunded if theat wasn't in doubt. And that is 100% fact.

Are you somehow trying to argue otherwise?
 
Cheers mate. So it's only Ladbrokes prepared to refund. As others have said, probably just a bit of PR due to being the sponsors.
Pretty much but some who’ve said they’d void the lot have paid out on Celtic and vice versa. Lot of it’s down to individual punter worth etc, just how the industry works.

365 paid out them and voided all other markets as well:

Bet365: Paid out on Celtic already to anyone who placed a bet up to and including September 13 as part of their league winner early payout concession which required a team to reach a lead of ten points to be activated. They are also paying out on Celtic to win the league, Hearts to be relegated, top-six finishers, bottom-half finishers, season match bets on teams that finished higher and Odsonne Edouard top scorer as "gestures of goodwill" plus voiding all other bets placed in all markets.
 
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I'm not talking about integrity of the bookies. They dont have any. What I'm talking about is the integrity of the competition. Money wouldn't be refunded if theat wasn't in doubt. And that is 100% fact.

Are you somehow trying to argue otherwise?
Apologies, I’ve clearly misinterpreted your comments here:


“Well done Ladbrokes. Setting the principle. Can't win or lose a bet when no team won or lost anything last year. Thats whats called sporting integrity.”
 
Apologies, I’ve clearly misinterpreted your comments here:


“Well done Ladbrokes. Setting the principle. Can't win or lose a bet when no team won or lost anything last year. Thats whats called sporting integrity.”
Yeah. I can see the ambiguity. So I'll reword slightly.

Well done Ladbrokes for recognising and acknowleding that last seasons competition and title gift are tainted due to sporting integrity issues.
 
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