Offshore Sportsbook Rules/Policy are they fair?

[SportSavant]

Recently an issue has come up in relation to a bad line being posted by pinny & then taken down with the bets being cancelled. Well before the bet was settled.

It is clear to anyone with any amount of intelligence, that UNDER THE CURRENT rules, that pinny did absolutely nothing wrong. They emailed their customers & cancelled the bet... per their Policy. Fezzik has outlined this very well in his thread on the issue.

<span class="ev_code_RED">WHAT ABOUT THE RULES IN GENERAL HOWEVER?</span>

It is my opinion that rules in relation to BAD LINES are WAY WAY too loose. For example current rules at most sportsbooks have no stipulation about cancelling a bad line if the game has already started... This leave opens the possibility that the book may hold the action & only cancel the bet if the bet looses. ALSO what exactly is the definition of a bad line? 1 point? 1.5 points? 2 points? 20 cents? 30 cents? -100? Current rules are designed to only protect the bookmakers.

To close this question or discussion I would like to point out a true set of lines I encountered while shopping a couple of Books.

B365, TYSON, -2000
Pinny, TYSON, -800

These odds were posted at the very same moment. Now lets say one of my buddies called me & told me he just banged 20K on tyson to win 1K at B365 & he was all excited cauz he called it 'FREE MONEY'. I then advised this friend he could have received -800 at PINNY. If this customer calls back the book before the book has changed the lines. Should he be allowed to cancel? After all this is a GROSS difference in the lines similar to the mistake PINNY made? Why does the rule work one way & not the other? SHould it not be cancelled under the 'ERROR IN LINES' theory...

Just some thoughts...

The current rules are very dangerous for players & do not protect their interests at all.... JMO

 

[TheGeneral+]

For the most part I think the rules are just. The one exception that comes to mind is the professional player rule. This is left with to much opinion involved. Players who are perceived professional should be paid in full and then asked to leave. The book should not confiscate funds of any kind for this reason.

 

[SportSavant]

General what about this...

Player comes to you with a dispute... he bet a game at + 7... the game won. Funds are Credited to his account.

Later that night Player notices Funds are deducted & Book claims Bad Line... Line should have read + 2... (7's sometimes look like 2's to some people).

Nobody disputes the facts but the Player claims he did not know it was a bad line & bet it for his 'average' bet.

WHO DO YOU SIDE WITH?

 

[Journeyman]

Good post general ...I have been outspoken on that particular rule as well

 

[TheGeneral+]

In this case the book had a long time to find their error. The game is well over and the players account has been credited. The book needs to eat it and find root cause of error, then not repeat it. These type issues make books stronger IMO. The average bet is a factor here as well. The player did not take a shot at a fortune. He made a wager, it was graded and he was paid. All before the book noticed the error. If the player wagered 5X his average then I may look at it differently & look for a possible compromise.

 

[Alejocruz+]

I know this is not metioned very often, what about the guy that picked the -7?
I'm pretty sure no one is going to complaint about a loosing bet that was given back to him.
What about the guys (if there are any) that took the line Over 8 in the pinnacle case???

 

[SportSavant]

fair enough... this... In & of itself... proves that the rules need to be tweaked a bit...

current system leaves too much "Up in the Air"

What if it was double his normal wager amount? What if the Player openly admits he scalped it? Way too much grey area...

General, we all know bookies are not saints either...

Sorry to pick your Brains but let me throw this scenerio at you...

EXACTLY SAME AS ABOVE... BUT PLAYER LOSES... It should have BEEN + 2.... BUT HE GOT + 7...

Last time this happened to him he won & the bookie cancelled his bet... Can he call the Bookie after the event is over & say... you made a mistake it was + 2 not + 7... I woudnt have bet it at + 7 for some reason... so they know owe the Money...

Fishhead, shrink, what do you guys think on this?

 

[SportSavant]

also please comment if you have the time on the above TYSON scenerio... A real life example...

Should I have the right to call B365 & Cancel if they have not changed their line? by claiming I bet into a GROSSLY eronious line?

Jake, I have helped you out a bit here sharing your rules with players... what are your thoughts on this?

 

[TheGeneral+]

SS, I'll be back in 30. I'll share my opinions. And they are just that as well. Opinions.

 

[assassin]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by SportSavant:
also please comment if you have the time on the above TYSON scenerio... A real life example...

Should I have the right to call B365 & Cancel if they have not changed their line? by claiming I bet into a GROSSLY eronious line?

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


The vig may be ufair, but the line isn't. If the friend was too lazy to shop for a better line, then its his fualt. If he made the bet in error (meant the fight above, other side, round prop, etc) or double clicked the bet, then it is up to the book to allow him to cancel. Most (many) will let you do it if A) the line has not moved, B) it is a short period of time and they haven't taken significant action since your wager, C) you don't do this too often. All depends on your relationship with the book and their policies.

imho

 

[SportSavant]

assasin, if the BOOK had the dog up at +2000 they are well within their right to cancel the bet & send you an email saying it was an error....

so if the player emails them saying... LOOK... your line is obviously an error when other INDUSTRY leaders are charging much less... should the book not allow you to cancel?

It is something like HONDA trying to cell the CIVIC for 50K! Of course nobody would be stupid enough to buy it... HOWEVER if someone was stupid enough Legal Principles of Society would allow him to return that Car & get his money Back as 50K is nowhere near the market Value of the Product....

It cannot only be one way... Can it?

lets go fishy... wanna hear your input on this one?

 

[TheGeneral+]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> EXACTLY SAME AS ABOVE... BUT PLAYER LOSES... It should have BEEN + 2.... BUT HE GOT + 7...

Last time this happened to him he won & the bookie cancelled his bet... Can he call the Bookie after the event is over & say... you made a mistake it was + 2 not + 7... I woudnt have bet it at + 7 for some reason... so they know owe the Money...
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

The player got the best of the bet here. I don't think this should be cancelled. What more could he ask for? As well, if he called the bookie after and asked for it to be cancelled then he knew it was a bad line he wagered.

 

[TheGeneral+]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by SportSavant:
also please comment if you have the time on the above TYSON scenerio... A real life example...

Should I have the right to call B365 & Cancel if they have not changed their line? by claiming I bet into a GROSSLY eronious line?

Jake, I have helped you out a bit here sharing your rules with players... what are your thoughts on this? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I think it is totally up to the book to decide if they want to cancel. They are under no obligation to do so. They offered a product and you bought it. It is yours now.

 

[SportSavant]

General, the player in question only found out it was a bad line later.. when he got home & reviewed the closing lines at Don Best website....

Additionally the exact same thing had happened to him the week before where he won the Bet but the bookie AFTER THE GAME had cancelled the bet due to bad LINES & in his explanation told the CLIENT that "All bets Made at that Line were Cancelled wether they Won or Lost".

 

[SportSavant]

all I am trying to say is that the bookie has all the leverage in these cases & I am POSITIVE, that many LOWER TIER BOOKS... do this Bad Line & then Cancel if it looks like the Bet will lose Trick...

 

[TheGeneral+]

In the case of having the best number by 5, I still say no cancel as the player had the edge. There is no question the books have the upper hand in all of this. They have the final decision and they have our money.