Betfred: Blackjack player wins ₤ 1.7 m prize after High Court fight

7 April 2021

A Betfred punter denied a ₤ 1.7 m prize over an alleged software application glitch has won a legal fight to claim the winnings.

Andy Green, from Lincolnshire, scooped the prize in January 2018 while playing a blackjack video game on his phone.

The bookie declined to pay out, claiming the error meant the game was not operating properly.

High Court judge Mrs Justice Foster ruled in Mr Green's favour and stated the company had no premises for withholding payment.

the yohaig code judgement suggests Mr Green, from Washingborough, will lastly get his payout, plus interest, after a three-year battle.

'Champagne all set'

In a declaration, he stated the prolonged row over the payment had actually made him wish he 'd never won.

"Along with my household, I have been through some really low times and end up being very down," he said.

"My physical health has actually likewise suffered badly, and I sometimes wanted I 'd never ever won this promotion code money, due to the fact that it was simply making my life a suffering.

"But today, I feel like the world has actually been taken off my shoulders and I feel so exceptionally pleased and relieved - for me, my family and my legal team.

"The champagne can finally come off ice and be savoured."

Betfred apologised for the delay in Mr Green receiving his money and said it would not appeal versus the judgment.

Speaking in 2018, he stated he had actually gone "definitely insane" after scooping the jackpot on the Frankie Dettori Magic Seven Blackjack video game.

Following the win, he extended his overdraft and invested more than ₤ 2,500 celebrating with friends and family.

In her ruling, Mrs Justice Foster said when he later got in touch with Betfred they "did not seek at this point to suggest besides that he was a huge winner".

But a few days later on, a Betfred director called him to state there had actually been a "software application error" and it was rejecting the claim.

Mr Green said he felt like he had been kicked and had his "withins ripped out" after receiving the call.

After he challenged the choice, the business at one phase used him ₤ 60,000 as a token of "goodwill" on the grounds he concurred not to speak about it ever once again, however he declined.

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In April 2019 he took his case to the High Court aiming to sue Betfred and its parent business, Gibraltar-based Petfre, for ₤ 2m, to include the yohaig code interest he would have made from the win.

Betfred had actually argued that the software problem, which stopped the game from resetting appropriately while Mr Green was playing, was covered under the conditions of the game.

However, Mrs Justice Foster ruled that the phrasing of the stipulations relied upon was "insufficient", and "not transparent or reasonable and Betfred were not entitled to rely upon them".

A Betfred spokesperson said: "Mr Green won the yohaig code prize 3 times whilst playing a video game provided by one of our third-party providers.

"The supplier reported a software application problem to us and encouraged that we must withhold payment.

"However, we will comply with the court's decision and not appeal. We wish to apologise to Mr Green for the hold-up in getting his cash."

Mr Green's legal representative Peter Coyle said he was "delighted" for his customer, adding that the judgement would "bet9ja's welcome offer hope to others who may be thinking that the big, abundant guys constantly win".

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Washingborough

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