[teddybreak]

Hi all,

The World Athletics championships are going on at the moment.

Before the semi-finals I placed a wager on Aleia Hobbs to beat Julien Alfred in the womens 100 meters.

Semi final result: Hobbs advances to the final as 7th (places 6th in the final). Alfred makes a false start and therefore gets disqualified.

https://worldathletics.org/competiti...-final/summary

So obviously a winner this head to head matchup, but Bookmaker settled it as Non Action and paid back my stake.

I went through their live chat and after that didn't work out I sent them a direct email to get this corrected. But they say the bet was voided/cancelled because of this rule:

All head to head and groupbetting options require all competitors to leave the start line for action.

https://get.bookmaker.help/hc/en-us/articles/360002278258-Athletics-Cycling

This rule obviously is meant for one of the athletes in the head to head (or group) actually not competing in the specific event. And not when an athlete gets disqualified after making a false start. I even provided them with a video of Alfred making the false start, but they still keep referring to this rule.

What to do now, since they say their decision is final?

[Optional]

Was your bet placed before or after the Semi-Finals were over?

[teddybreak]

Was your bet placed before or after the Semi-Finals were over?

Before the semi-finals started.

[Optional]

Before the semi-finals started.

Oops, I meant to say was it placed earlier than the semi final round.

My thoughts are that if you bet before the previous round, then your girl did leave the starting line in her heat.

But if you bet just prior to the race she was DQed from, then she did not leave the start line for you.


Let's see what some others think. I can ping someone I know for you if needed.

[Optional]

rules wording

[teddybreak]

Oops, I meant to say was it placed earlier than the semi final round.

My thoughts are that if you bet before the previous round, then your girl did leave the starting line in her heat.

But if you bet just prior to the race she was DQed from, then she did not leave the start line for you.


Let's see what some others think. I can ping someone I know for you if needed.

The rule they are referring to is obviously meant for athletes not starting at all ( I quote their customer service: 'In this case the specific reason this was canceled is Julien Alfred did not start'). How can one make a false start if they did not start?

Here's the video (you can skip to 2 minutes in) to see her actually (false) starting:
https://streamable.com/5vosa1

[Optional]

The rule they are referring to is obviously meant for athletes not starting at all ( I quote their customer service: 'In this case the specific reason this was canceled is Julien Alfred did not start'). How can one make a false start if they did not start?

Here's the video (you can skip to 2 minutes in) to see her actually (false) starting:
https://streamable.com/5vosa1

Personally, I don't agree with your interpretation.

I do not think a false start should be considered starting the race.

I would say false starts are the exact reason this rule exists to start with.

[OldBill]

thier book thier rules they gave you your bet back and thats that

[teddybreak]

Personally, I don't agree with your interpretation.

I do not think a false start should be considered starting the race.

I would say false starts are the exact reason this rule exists to start with.

I would like to know what others think about it.

False starts are part of the game. She did leave the start line, doesn't matter if it was too early. A DQ or DNF is something completely different than a DNS (which they are literally referring to in their responses).

[jjgold]

It might be a little tricky wording but I don’t think this is an issue

[teddybreak]

thier book thier rules they gave you your bet back and thats that

Their book rules are implying there is no action if an athlete does not compete, which she actually did. And that's that.

[Optional]

I would like to know what others think about it.

False starts are part of the game. She did leave the start line, doesn't matter if it was too early. A DQ or DNF is something completely different than a DNS (which they are literally referring to in their responses).

Me too.

[jjgold]

If you’re really read the rules that can be interpreted either way that’s why sports books get out of not paying a lot

[texhooper]

If only there was a site you could go to which could mediate such a dispute with an offshore sportsbook…

[jjgold]

If bookmaker had so much money they would just pay the guy
ARE THEY STRUGGLING NOW???????????????????

[Optional]

If bookmaker had so much money they would just pay the guy
ARE THEY STRUGGLING NOW???????????????????

Should they also re-grade anyone on the other side of that H2H as a loser now?

Or would you be looking at those rules and thinking that was wrong too?

[DrunkHorseplayer]

It's quite clear that you're wrong. After she was DQ'd, they ran the race and she wasn't in it; she didn't start the race therefore the bet is no action.

[teddybreak]

It's quite clear that you're wrong. After she was DQ'd, they ran the race and she wasn't in it; she didn't start the race therefore the bet is no action.

This way of reasoning goes beyond me. She took the start, made a false start and that's it.

She is listed in the results as DQ, not as DNS.
https://media.aws.iaaf.org/competiti...sf----.RS4.pdf
Maybe it's me, but I really cannot see it as if she wasn't in the competition.

[texhooper]

You’re the only one that agrees with you bro. Sorry

[Optional]

This way of reasoning goes beyond me. She took the start, made a false start and that's it.

She is listed in the results as DQ, not as DNS.
https://media.aws.iaaf.org/competiti...sf----.RS4.pdf
Maybe it's me, but I really cannot see it as if she wasn't in the competition.

PM me your account ID and the bet ID and I can shoot of a message to someone who can get this re-looked at for you.

[VeggieDog]

It's quite clear that you're wrong. After she was DQ'd, they ran the race and she wasn't in it; she didn't start the race therefore the bet is no action.

I agree with this.

[texhooper]

See

[teddybreak]

I agree with this.

Point is that they are not two different races. Both starts are part of the same race, that's why she's listed as disqualified instead of non starter.

[d2bets]

I don't see how the book can say she didn't "leave the start line". She left the start line early, that's why she was disqualified.

Did they void all head-to-head wagers on this race? The rule says "all competitors must leave the start line for action". So if it's no action for this matchup because she didn't leave the start line, then wouldn't all matchups be no action?

Opti -- I think the reason the rule exists is for if she pulls out of the competition before it begins. That would make sense because if you learned of that you would get a massive edge. No edge in this. The wager was placed before the false starts.

[d2bets]

It's quite clear that you're wrong. After she was DQ'd, they ran the race and she wasn't in it; she didn't start the race therefore the bet is no action.

But when they shot the gun and she left early, was that not part of the race? If not, then what was it?

I can see this one both ways.

The rule is ambiguous.

[TommieGunshot]

This way of reasoning goes beyond me. She took the start, made a false start and that's it.

She is listed in the results as DQ, not as DNS.
https://media.aws.iaaf.org/competiti...sf----.RS4.pdf
Maybe it's me, but I really cannot see it as if she wasn't in the competition.

This seems to mean that if someone was given a DQ for drifting out of their lane, it would be scored the same, but graded differently. That is a truly horrible rule.

[slayer14]

It costa rican bookie what do you expect they lack the facillities to keep track sometimes

[pavyracer]

She left the start line of action and was disqualified. IMHO she did compete in the race so the bet should not be voided.

Let me ask this question for NASCAR guys.

What happens in NASCAR head to head bets if a driver is DQ after the post-inspection? Are the bets voided or arey they graded for the driver that was DQ.

[jjgold]

My official opinion that I read everything the player should be payed

I’ll be downgrading Bookmaker if the player doesn’t get paid

[JAKEPEAVY21]

I can see the argument for both sides here.

As d2bets said, the rule is ambiguous.

[big joe 1212]

That rule needs to be changed to “if the runner goes to the start line,” not “leaves the start line”

But the book did word it the way they did for a reason. They clearly want the runners to actually race for it to have action.

[jjgold]

I’m gonna start the countdown timer 24 hours before I downgrade them

[Natty68]

Seems to me if they START a baseball game but rain prevents it from going the required number of innings it's no-action. Apples and oranges I know but they DID return his original bet so it's not like they ripped him off.

[Natty68]

I know it's not relevant and none of my business but I'd be curious to know how much money are we talking about here.

[JacketFan81]

I don't know anything about the sport, but just from reading the wording Optional posted on here regarding the rules, I don't think you really have a case here. Sorry bud.