SBR Scam Alerts

Scam alert: PulseBet sportsbook victim writes in

11/23/2011 06:30 PM

11/23/2011 6:30:28 PM -
A PulseBet (SBR rating F) player tells SBR that he is owed €1,073. The player's first withdrawal request was made on October 26th, 2011 but rejected due to ID not being on file. After sending all the documents, PulseBet completed the request in their system but failed to send the funds through Moneybookers.

On November 17th, SBR reported that PulseBet and SynBet (SBR rating F) remain online despite a public admission of insolvency. On November 4th, SBR reported that the brands could no longer pay players.

Synbet and PulseBet both occupy a spot on the SBR Sportsbook Blacklist with a rating of F.

SynBet and PulseBet players with payout complaints are asked to submit a sportsbook complaint form, or dial 1-830-255-4677 during normal business hours to speak with a Sportsbook Review dispute analyst.

Scam alert: 105Vig sportsbook player #2 writes in

11/19/2011 04:00 PM

11/19/2011 4:00:46 PM -
A second 105Vig Sportsbook (SBR rating D-) player writes in. The player tells SBR that he opened an account with 105Vig in early November after a sales agent lured him in with a $100 free starter bonus that carried a 5X rollover. The player tells SBR that after completing the play-through requirement, he asked for a payout of $100. The player tells SBR that 105Vig denied the request, claiming that he must have a minimum of $500 in his balance to make a payout request. This non-standard rule is not found anywhere on the 105Vig site.

SBR reported on November 11th that a player who also took the $100 starter bonus completed his rollover and increased his balance to $1,654.11. The player requested payment on Tuesday, November 8th and has not been paid. A 105Vig representative reportedly told the player that public posts attributed to the user had been read, and that the representative believed the player "should not be paid".

105Vig has all the makings of a scam sportsbook - peddling no deposit bonuses and credit lines, working over forums and social media platforms whilst giving poor service and making up rules as it goes along when players attempt to cash in their chips. Players are advised to avoid the unknown bookie.

Sportsbook players with feedback or complaints are asked to submit a sportsbook complaint form, or dial 1-830-255-4677 during normal business hours to speak with a Sportsbook Review dispute analyst.

Sportsbook scam alert: PulseBet & SynBet sportsbook

11/17/2011 06:01 PM

11/17/2011 6:01:26 PM -
PulseBet (SBR rating F) and SynBet (SBR rating F) sportsbook remain online despite a public admission of insolvency. On November 4th, SBR reported that the brands could not pay players.

On August 16th, 2011, SynBet was introduced to readers on TheRxForum gaming portal as platinum sponsors. The unheard of sportsbook claimed to be targeting US-based members, while sister outfit PulseBet catered to the European market.

On November 1st, 2011, a SynBet employee posted that players would not be paid. The employee attributed blame to processors and urged players to consider alternate actions to recoup their funds. PulseBet and SynBet players continue to write into the SBR mailbox to document how they were scammed. | Scammed sportsbook players speak out

Sportsbook scam alert: 105Vig player writes in

11/11/2011 02:59 PM

11/11/2011 2:59:29 PM -
A 105Vig (SBR rating D-) player writes in. The player tells SBR that he signed up at the mysterious new sportsbook for their $100 free bet promotion, which he lost. 105Vig offered the player a $500 line of credit - the player accepted and increased his balance to $1,654.11. The player asked for a withdrawal on Tuesday, November 8th. On Wednesday November 9th 105Vig contacted the player and stated while manager "Jerry" was not in the office, the representative believed that the player should not be paid due to making negative posts on SBRforum about the company.

On November 8th, 2011, SBR reported that 105Vig was peddling no-deposit bonuses and credit lines. 105vig.com uses an unencrypted login, offers no customer support email address or phone number, and uses HTML to display its sportsbook lines - not industry-grade betting software. SBRforum members reported that the unheard of website offered a $500 credit line if the no-deposit bonus was lost. 105Vig is currently on the SBR sportsbooks blacklist. SBR advises users to avoid the anonymous outfit.

Sportsbook scam alert: 105Vig peddling no-deposit bonuses and credit lines

11/08/2011 03:55 PM

11/8/2011 3:55:17 PM -
Sportsbook scam alert: 105Vig.com (SBR rating D-) is offering bettors a $100 freeplay to try out their website. The sportsbook is hosted on a web-server based in New York and shares the same remote address as a number of
handicapping services.

105Vig.com uses an unencrypted login, offers no customer support email address or phone number, and currently has betting odds on one NFL game this weekend. 105Vig's appears to be powered by basic HTML webpage - not industry-grade betting software. A number of users reported on SBRforum that the unheard of website offered a $500 credit line if the no-deposit bonus was lost. SBR has added 105Vig to the sportsbooks blacklist at D- and advises users to avoid the anonymous outfit.

Tipico confiscates €2,000 citing 'organised betting'

10/17/2011 05:38 PM

10/17/2011 5:38:13 PM -
A Tipico (SBR rating D-) player reports that a €2,000 balance has been confiscated. The Tipico player tells SBR that he opened his account on October 5th, 2010 and began wagering as normal. After three months of successful play, the player reports that his maximum wager size was lowered to €99. He continued to play, withdrawing through Moneybookers every so often even with the imposed wagering limit.

The player reports that exactly one year after opening his account, he received a letter that his account was being closed on the grounds of "organised betting", or syndicate play - a charge the player denies. | Tipico Sportsbook letter to player

Oddsmaker, scam sportsbook persists with marketing campaigns

03/25/2011 11:03 AM

3/25/2011 11:03:35 AM -
Oddsmaker Sportsbook (SBR rating F) spends more than one million dollars annually on marketing campaigns.

The scam sportsbook invests heavily in the production of betting pamphlets, coasters, and promotional fliars. One industry source with extensive past ties to Oddsmaker tells SBR that the scam sportsbook targets lower to middle class income apartment complexes. Oddsmaker then sends a wave of nondescript packages containing their free cash offers.

Oddsmaker's objective is to convert the John and Jane Doe's of the world into players by wooing them with their aggressive and unsolicited promotions. Oddsmaker successfully casts an image of itself as a financially solid sportsbook that has no problem spending money. | Oddsmaker Scam Alert

Oddsmaker Scam Alert: SBR warns players in this sportsbook news video

Sportsbook Scam Alert - CreditWagering fraud

01/20/2011 09:47 AM

1/20/2011 9:47:19 AM -
CreditWagering sportsbook (sportsbook rating F) burns another player. In November, the player opened his account and began to wager. CreditWagering extends players $1,000 upfront and requires that they complete a 3X rollover prior to making any withdrawal. If a player is down $400 or more after his first week of playing, CreditWagering requires that the player settle for that amount in order to resume playing. Players who pay are promised 15% back on their settlement amount. The attractive proposition has lured in many players, some of whom that have no intention to pay should they lose their first $400, and some innocent players that had settled up when they owed. | CreditWagering Report

GolfAndBet; scam sportsbook still taking bets

02/26/2010 12:14 PM

2/26/2010 12:14:26 PM -
GolfAndBet (unrated) displays the following message on its webpage to visitors acknowledging that the sportsbook is insolvent.

GolfAndBet homepage message:[quote]We at Golf and Bet is committed to providing our customers a bit more than usual. It has been appreciated by our members that have flowed above our expectations.Unfortunately, it has also led to our generous bonuses during startup have been too expensive why we decided to take a temporary timeout in the meantime we are working to resolve the situation.

During that time we will not accept new deposits from our customers and do not make disbursements.We hope for your understanding and that you are assured that we will do our best to operate properly as soon as possible. Of course, it also means that our goal is that all the outstanding balances should be paid out in full in accordance with our bonus rules.[/quote]
Despite this message, which is signed by managing director Stefan Gladh, stating that new deposits would not be accepted, a player wrote to SBR on 2/24 indicating that he deposited €100 on January 25th, and attempted to withdraw winnings on February 5th.

SBR contacted Stefan Gladh asking him to confirm that no new deposits are being taken. Stefan claimed that deposits were not being processed and that the sportsbook is currently looking for investors. This is a direct contradiction of the information SBR received in its player complaint. SBR asks that players owed from when GolfAndBet first displayed its insolvency message file sportsbook complaint reports. GolfAndBet has been added to the SBR sportsbooks ratings guide at F.

WagerWeb (SBR rating C-) confiscation of $9578.60 determined to be theft.

01/06/2010 07:47 AM

1/6/2010 7:47:09 AM -
On December 21, 2009, SBR provided an update on this dispute. WagerWeb claimed that the player won a net of $9578.60 on correlated parlays, and that it had warned the player not to make this type of wager in the past. WagerWeb seized this money from the player's balance. SBR asked the sportsbook to, at minimum, provide proof that the player was warned, but was unable to.

The player provided a wager log that shows he started betting on August 23rd, 2009. From August 23 to October 24th, 2009, the player put in numerous bets consisting of mostly correlated parlays. The player lost and made redeposits on September 26th, October 4th and October 17th, 2009. With each redeposit, WagerWeb reviewed his play and gave him deposit bonuses. At one point, the player was down $11,000 betting correlated parlays (which WagerWeb was allowing during the losing streak). The player did not move past even until October 24th, at which point he was showing a net win of $3752. Correlated parlays accounted for a net win of $4302.

If WagerWeb had only confiscated $4302 (the player's net win from correlated parlays), it still would have been an unjust confiscation. Although WagerWeb's rule states that it does not accept correlated parlays, it had no problem honoring them when this player (and other players) were losing for months. WagerWeb's software permits line managers to designate what games are eligible for same-game parlays - if WagerWeb did not want to accept correlated parlays, it could have set its software to disallow any bet type it did not want. WagerWeb's selective enforcement of this rule allows it to free-roll players as evident by at one-time beating this player out of $11,000. Any practice that allows a book to accept wagers the Sportsbook can win, but the player cannot is unfair and unethical.

In addition to confiscating $4302 from the player's net win in correlated parlays, it stole another $5276.60. When it was pointed out to WagerWeb that the player won only $4302 from correlated parlays, it made no attempt to justify the additional theft.