Betfred: Blackjack gamer wins ₤ 1.7 m jackpot after High Court fight
7 April 2021
A Betfred punter rejected a ₤ 1.7 m jackpot over a supposed software application glitch has actually 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, claiming the error suggested the game was not running correctly.
High Court judge Mrs Justice Foster ruled in Mr Green's favour and stated the business had no premises for keeping payment.
The judgement suggests Mr Green, from Washingborough, will lastly receive his payment, plus interest, after a three-year fight.
'Champagne prepared'
In a declaration, he said the prolonged row over the payout had actually made him wish he 'd never ever won.
«Together with my family, I have actually been through some very low times and become really down,» he said.
«My physical health has actually also suffered badly, and I sometimes wanted I 'd never ever won this promotion code money, since it was simply making my life an anguish.
»But today, I feel like the world has actually been raised off my shoulders and I feel so exceptionally pleased and relieved — for me, my family and my legal group.
«The champagne can finally come off ice and be savoured.»
Betfred apologised for the hold-up in Mr Green receiving his cash and stated it would not appeal against the judgment.
Speaking in 2018, he stated he had actually gone «definitely crazy» 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 commemorating with friends and family.
In her judgment, Mrs Justice Foster stated when he later on got in touch with Betfred they «did not seek at this promotion code moment to recommend besides that he was a huge winner».
But a few days later, a Betfred director called him to state there had been a «software application mistake» and it was declining the claim.
Mr Green said he felt like he had been kicked and had his «insides removed» after getting the call.
After he challenged the choice, the business at one stage provided him ₤ 60,000 as a token of «goodwill» on the grounds he concurred not to discuss 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 interest he would have made from the win.
Betfred had actually argued that the software application problem, which stopped the video game from resetting properly while Mr Green was playing, was covered under the terms and conditions of the video game.
However, Mrs Justice Foster ruled that the wording of the clauses trust was «inadequate», and «not transparent or reasonable and Betfred were not entitled to trust them».
A Betfred spokesperson stated: «Mr Green won the prize 3 times whilst playing a video game provided by one of our third-party providers.
»The supplier reported a software problem to us and advised that we should withhold payment.
«However, we will follow the court's choice and not appeal. We would like to apologise to Mr Green for the yohaig code delay in getting his money.»
Mr Green's lawyer Peter Coyle said he was «thrilled» for his client, adding that the judgement would «promise to others who might be believing that the big, rich guys constantly win».
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Washingborough
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