Published on: October 22, 2024, 05:19h.
Last updated on: October 22, 2024, 05:19h.
A Las Vegas sports bettor believed he was in luck when he placed a bet on outsider Joel Moscatel Nachshon to win the first round of the 2023 Australian PGA Championship through William Hill.
However, he now alleges that he was cheated out of nearly $40,000 by the Caesars Entertainment-owned sportsbook, as reported by The Las Vegas Review-Journal.
The bettor, whose identity has not been disclosed, wagered $200 on Moscatel to win at odds of +20,000. The relatively unknown golfer from Spain was ranked 1,162nd in the world at that time, but he delivered a stellar performance on that particular day.
Moscatel stunned everyone by shooting a round of 62 on the first day of the championship, equaling the course record. The 25-year-old recorded eight birdies without a single bogey, matching Jed Morgan’s winning record from the previous year.
Despite finishing the tournament in seventh place with an 11-under-par score, the bettor believed that his remarkable performance on day 1 had earned him $40,000 – at least that’s what he thought.
Unexpected Changes
When he tried to collect his winnings, he was informed that the originally posted odds of +20,000 were a mistake, and the actual odds were +400. This adjustment left the bettor with only $800 in winnings.
The reason behind why William Hill would offer such low odds on a player ranked 1,162nd in the world remains unclear, as does the decision-making process of the bettor. Nevertheless, the disgruntled individual is determined to seek answers.
The bettor has escalated the matter to the Nevada Gaming Control Board, which conducted a hearing involving both parties last week. A decision will be made by the Nevada Gaming Commission at a later date.
The bettor asserted that the winning $40,200 ticket (winnings plus stake) had been in his William Hill account for five days before it was swapped for a lower-value ticket without any explanation.
Important Details
According to William Hill’s terms and conditions, they reserve the right to rectify any obvious errors on a wager placed in one of their live betting markets and settle at the correct odds or terms available at the time of the bet. In a situation where the incorrect odds or terms are less favorable than those originally offered, they will amend the odds or terms accordingly.
In September 2022, William Hill was fined $100,000 by the Nevada Gaming Commission due to a system glitch that resulted in the duplication of approximately 55,000 bets, leading to customers being shortchanged by around $1.3 million.