The UK Weather Is Not Something I'd Like To Bet On

Ladbrokes have refused to honour a Southampton man's £7.1m winning snowfall accumulator according to Southern Daily Echo writer James Maden.

52 year old graphic designer Cliff Bryant placed 2 £5.00 accumulators on the white christmas betting markets. A 13 selection acca worth £4,922,800.31, and an 11 selection acca worth £2,233,492.73.

You could place bets whether it will snow on christmas day here in the UK in various locations, as win singles, but cannot double or multiply them according to Ladbrokes spokesman David Williams who said: "We have apologised to the customer for any confusion and for mistakenly accepting an accumulator bet when our own rules state that only single bets are available on a market of this nature. We are happy to void the bets and to pay the customer his winnings on the relevant singles."

Danny Cracknell, adjudication manager at IBAS, quoted a section from the Ladbrokes rulebook which said: "Single bets only are accepted, accumulative bets accepted in error will be settled as singles with the stake equally divided."

Now, you can't multiply up Man Utd to win, Man Utd to win 1-0, and Rooney to score first, and last. That's a connected bet.

An acumulator on whether it snows here or there, Glasgow, London or Plymouth, is a connected bet? I'm not so sure about that. Ladbrokes rules do say special bets are win single only though.

Mr Bryant will be seeking legal advice. I think that's a good idea, because he may have a case for a goodwill gesture settlement out of court, on the grounds the bet was struck in good faith. As a way of apology for the confusion, if you like.

I would usually advise a punter with a betting dispute to go to IBAS, but as the adjudication manager seems to be agreeing with Ladbrokes rules, I wouldn't go there, and he wouldn't win anyway.

I don't think this is a case of a rogue bookmaker welching on a £7million winning bet. I think this is a case of the perils of laying and betting on the weather in the UK. The weather here is not something I'd like to bet on, or price up, and the rules need sorting for the sake of punters and bookies staff alike.

Snow Betting Situation Related Blogs & Discussion
♠ Ladbrokes Caught in Snow Prediction Scandal (gamesandluck.com)
♠ Ladbrokes Fail To Pay Out 7M Snow Bet Discussion

3 Comentario 💬


Christmas Day Snow Accumulators

Bet 1: £5 Accumulator
1. Newcastle upon Tyne
2. Durham
3. Darlington
4. Bradford
5. Harrogate
6. Leeds
7. Wakefield
8. Huddersfield
9. Halifax
10. Cleveland
11. York
12. Derby
13. Stockport

Returns: £4,922,800.31


Bet 2: £5.00 Accummulator
1. Carlisle
2. Lancaster
3. Preston
4. Bolton
5. Oldham
6. Wigan
7. Manchester
8. Stockport
9. Warrington
10. Crewe
11. Telford

Returns: £2,233,492.73

Blogger Sandracer @ 2:28 pm, January 11, 2010  

Ladbrokes Special Bet Rules

Sports Rules/Specials
Specials is our description for bets on, normally, non-sporting events such as politics, current affairs or financial matters.

Bets on "Special" markets are available as singles only, unless otherwise stated on our site.

Specific rules and conditions relating to each individual "Specials" market will be displayed on site as these markets become available online.

The maximum payout on any bet which includes a selection, or selections, from a "Specials" market is £10,000, unless otherwise stated for a particular event.

This maximum applies to the payout to any one customer, in any one day.

Blogger Sandracer @ 4:07 pm, January 11, 2010  

Ladbrokes White Christmas - Will It Snow On Christmas Day Betting Rules
(26 dec 2009)

Christmas Snow
For a bet of a white Christmas for 2009 within in a specific post code area ("Bet") to win. A snowflake, sleet or a snow grain (together "Snow") must be officially recorded as having fallen within the postcode area which is the subject of the Bet between 00:01hours and 23:59 hours on 25 December 2009 ("Christmas Day"). For these purposes:

(a) the relevant "postcode area" will be the postcode area as recorded by the Royal Mail having the first two digits in the order stated on the relevant [Betting slip]and shall exclude those areas within in the relevant post code area that are in excess of 250 metres above sea level;

(b) snow, sleet or any other like substance which fell prior to the commencement of Christmas Day (including that which remains on the ground on Christmas Day), hail or ice pellets (irrespective of the time at which they fall) are excluded from the definition of Snow for the purposes of any Bet; and

(c) "officially" means as determined by the British weather Service in its absolute discretion.

Blogger Sandracer @ 4:11 pm, January 11, 2010  


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