A RACECOURSE bookie has reported a punter to the police after they who made off with winnings TEN TIMES the correct amount at York.
A man placed a £100 bet on an 11-4 shot on Saturday and should have received £375 – but he was mistakenly given a whopping £3,750.
When the employee of bookmaker Geoff Banks realised their mistake it was too late as the punter pocketed the extra cash and disappeared.
Banks said: “According to my staff member, when the guy who had £100 on came up to get paid he said something about being paid out £3,750.
“He said it in a way that suggested he had knowledge that there was a bet that had been placed at that level; whether he was just in front or behind the other person when they made the bet I don’t know.
“Even though we scan the slips, it was a mistake that was made. My member of staff is as honest as the day is long and he’s been crushed by this as he has been in the industry for years.
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“The most galling thing about it is the punter just accepted the money and legally that’s wrong.
“If you know you have been paid out the wrong amount you have to return it. But more than that, it’s morally wrong.”
The winning punter placed the £100 bet on Tropical Storm, who won the Listed Julia Graves Roses Stakes on Saturday by a neck.
Banks was furious and has filed a police report, while he also took the social media to vent his frustration – and he received plenty of flak from punters for doing so.
He told the Racing Post: “I understand that there’s antipathy towards gambling companies from punters and that people may see me posting about gambling issues and not like it and find this amusing.
“It’s not the same battle between the old enemies that it used to be.
“The betting public expects bookmakers to play fair and we expect the same, and then someone goes and does this; I think it’s abhorrent.
“People seem to think that it’s something to make fun of or that we deserve it, but they haven’t considered the impact this has had on my staff member and on how the relationship should be between a bookmaker and a punter.
“That fairness seems to have gone, and that’s a great shame.”
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