Virgin Media staff in X Factor bet scam
I've always been nervous about reality TV shows due to the possibility of 'inside' information. Surely Betfair would find it very hard to reclaim money that is many months old now. I'm not 100% sure what the current ruling is, but in the past gambling debts are not legally enforceable. Surely Betfair won't debit peoples +ve balances?
Saw this on the Betfair forum
On 7 April 2011, under section 336(1) Gambling Act 2005, Betfair received a voiding order from the Gambling Commission to void winning bets placed by a number of accounts on X Factor 2010 betting markets between 10 October 2010 and 21 November 2010. The circumstances behind the voiding order are detailed in this Gambling Commission press release, (http://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/gh ... _bets.aspx).
Your account, username ‘awrinkle’, lost a total of £28.67 matching bets with one or more of these accounts on one or more of the relevant X Factor 2010 betting markets. Therefore, £28.67 is owed to you as a debt by at least one other Betfair account holder. We have now requested that the relevant Betfair account holders provide to us the funds necessary to cover the total amount owed to you and other customers who were betting in the relevant markets in good faith.
We will provide you with an update on this matter within 28 days from today’s date.
Kind Regards
Betfair Integrity Team
Betfair Helpdesk
So in other words Betfair are asking someone who placed and won a bet in good faith to hand back their winnings!
If they asked me to do that, they'd receive a 2 word reply, and it wouldn't be 'No problem!'
Jeff
If they asked me to do that, they'd receive a 2 word reply, and it wouldn't be 'No problem!'

Jeff
Euler wrote: We have now requested that the relevant Betfair account holders provide to us the funds necessary to cover the total amount owed to you and other customers who were betting in the relevant markets in good faith.
what if they said, "that fine dont, we will close your account down until you cough up".Ferru123 wrote:So in other words Betfair are asking someone who placed and won a bet in good faith to hand back their winnings!
If they asked me to do that, they'd receive a 2 word reply, and it wouldn't be 'No problem!'![]()
Jeff
Euler wrote: We have now requested that the relevant Betfair account holders provide to us the funds necessary to cover the total amount owed to you and other customers who were betting in the relevant markets in good faith.
Hi Tony
Firstly, I now realize I misread the post, and the people they have asked to cough up are people who have allegedly used insider knowledge.
But if they said that to me, I'd have to think about it. I could always say 'Make my day!' and just open a new account. But I've incurred substantial losses over the years with my existing account, which could come in handy where the Premium Charge is concerned (if I ever get to the stage where that becomes an issue!).
Jeff
Firstly, I now realize I misread the post, and the people they have asked to cough up are people who have allegedly used insider knowledge.
But if they said that to me, I'd have to think about it. I could always say 'Make my day!' and just open a new account. But I've incurred substantial losses over the years with my existing account, which could come in handy where the Premium Charge is concerned (if I ever get to the stage where that becomes an issue!).
Jeff
to75ne wrote: what if they said, "that fine dont, we will close your account done until you cough up".
Possibly.
Has anyone consulted a lawyer about suing Betfair for their Premium Charges?
I wouldn't assume that just because Betfair's T&C's say they can screw you that a judge would agree...
Jeff
Has anyone consulted a lawyer about suing Betfair for their Premium Charges?
I wouldn't assume that just because Betfair's T&C's say they can screw you that a judge would agree...

Jeff
to75ne wrote:hello jeff,
my point is if they wish to take off of you, they will no matter what.
It all depends on the opinion of a judge.
He might take your view. Or he might regard their charges in the same way as many legal experts regard penalty charges - as an unlawful deduction.
Unless you know as a fact that the law is 100% in Betfair's favour, and the judge has no wriggle room, then it's not a done deal.
When I was suing a former landlord, my company's credit control guy advised me to settle out of court if I got a decent offer. His reasoning was that, even though he was convinced the law was 100% on my side, he said that, if the judge decided my claim was unfair, he could rule against me and there would be nothing I could do about it. IMHO, judges are like football referees - their decisions don't necessary reflect a sensible interpretation of the rules!
Jeff
He might take your view. Or he might regard their charges in the same way as many legal experts regard penalty charges - as an unlawful deduction.
Unless you know as a fact that the law is 100% in Betfair's favour, and the judge has no wriggle room, then it's not a done deal.
When I was suing a former landlord, my company's credit control guy advised me to settle out of court if I got a decent offer. His reasoning was that, even though he was convinced the law was 100% on my side, he said that, if the judge decided my claim was unfair, he could rule against me and there would be nothing I could do about it. IMHO, judges are like football referees - their decisions don't necessary reflect a sensible interpretation of the rules!

Jeff
LeTiss 4pm wrote:They provide a service
If your bet is successful they deduct 5%, if you're always successful they deduct 20%
A court would rule in their favour everytime because their customers know the score