SBR review: WorldWager

Scam sportsbook WorldWager (SBR rating F-) off-line for good?

SBR Bill Dozer reports:

UK gaming company interested in purchasing WorldWager (SBR rating F-). The potential owner would require all accounts be settled before taking on the brand. If these conditions are upheld many players would stand to benefit from the transaction.

WorldWager (SBR rating F-) is said to be closing after the NCAA tournament.

Company insider insists that a sale while possible is unlikely since all player monies are long gone. They will likely not be alone as weaker operations are not able to make it until football starts.

SBR Bill Dozer reports:

No-pay complaints continue to come from players at scam sportsbooks. BetGateway (SBR rating F) is hoping to stay afloat with a profitable Super Bowl. More players are reporting denied withdrawal requests yet the book continues to offer large bonuses on new deposits. New BetEmpire (SBR rating F-) and sister book WorldWager (SBR rating F-) complaints emerge. Management is attempting to void out winnings on multiple large account balances. They claim that if the betting odds had changed soon after a bet was placed it was the sportsbook’s error and a "bad line" which nullifies the wager. The book is applying this made-up rule to months of graded wagers. One player did report reaching a settlement with WorldWager and has received payment.
Update 2/26/05: BetEmpire management tells SBR that they are no longer involved with WorldWager and that BetEmpire is a seperate operation. BetEmpire has its own mangement team in place but is under the BetUS (SBR rating F+) brand. 

Rating Change: WorldWager

WorldWager downgraded from F to F-

SBR Bill Dozer reports:

WorldWager (SBR rating F-) stiffing another player $23,000 claiming he violated "line movement rules". This book is notorious for citing outrageous rules, like the one below, as reason not to pay long-time players.
"If the lines posted by Worldwager.com are off by more than 1.5 points on any point spread sport or posted incorrectly (reversed), management is entitled to delete any wagers placed on the wrong lines. In any money line sport, if the lines are off by more than 20 cents, management is entitled to delete any wagers placed on the wrong lines."
WorldWager is essentially claiming the right to call any line a "wrong line". The book will offer unique lines with no intention of paying players if they win because the line was "off".

SBR Bill Dozer reports:

WorldWager (SBR rating F) refusing to pay bettor $14,400 claiming that he violated the ‘wiseguy’ rule. After losing over $16,000 with WorldWager since 2002, the player accumulated a balance of $16,900 in his account. His last payout was for $2,500 in October 04. He has been pleading with management for the remainder of his funds since.

SBR mailbag:

Players report cold holiday season with no-pay sportsbooks. This past week SBR received a flood of slow-pay and no-pay complaints from books that continue to solidify their F ratings. Complaints included: WorldWager (SBR rating F) player reports being stiffed for $2,000; 2WagerSports (SBR rating F) player reports being owed $600 for over 3 weeks while phones have been down; SSP (SBR rating F) player files no-pay complaint claiming that he has been owed over $2,000 since September. Internet1x2 (SBR rating F) in full slow-pay mode once again. After eliminating a large portion of their debt, 1x2 is frustrating players with broken promises of payment. A few players are reporting small sporadic payments. These payments are likely sent out as unsuspecting new players deposit. SBR has also received the weekly batch of no-pay complaints from new victims of scam sportsbook, ESB (SBR rating F-). Players who are aware of any sites ESB utilizes for marketing purposes are encouraged to contact Bill_Dozer@SportbookReview.com.

Player complaints this week

include another NO PAY complaint from WorldWager (SBR rating F), Ladbrokes (SBR rating A+) for very poor customer service, Sportsbook.com (SBR rating C+) with another disappointing slow pay complaint - SBR recent upgrade of Sportsbook.com now under reconsideration

WorldWager (SBR rating F) snags another victim -

"I have been using the www.worldwager.com web site and i had filed for a withdrawal of 1000 from them...it took me about two weeks of arguing with them...they paid me 500 via neteller and credited me the other 500...they do not seem to want to pay out....this is after about two months of requesting payout after payout and them coming up with every excuse under the sun not to pay out..."

Rating Change: WorldWager

WorldWager WorldWager.Com lowered from F+ to F

Rating Change: WorldWager

WorldWager - Downgraded from the Black List to the RUN! List - SBR rating lowered from F+ to F-

Rating Change: WorldWager

WorldWager - Downgraded to the Black List - We have received and verified multiple slow pay complaints