Warning to all horse Punters about BET CRIS

[dougieb08]

Warning to all horse Punters

At BET CRIS.com horse book on December 23, 2008 they had a race held at Yonkers, race 7. Bet Cris declared the number 3 betting interest as a scratched horse. I handicapped this race based on this fact and did so never thinking that the favourite was in the race, I selected a horse based on the pretence that the speed of the race the betting favourite was out and by no means would have chosen that horse I selected knowing the favourite was in the race, cause he was a speed horse and on a half mile track that information is needed.

When I saw the race on tape delay, the favourite was in fact in the race and Bet Chris took wagers on this race as if he was a scratched horse. Meaning that anyone who made a wager or handicapped this race did so without proper information as to who was in the race.

When you bet on horse racing every factor comes into play, most of all who is in the race or not, Bet Cris declared the favourite as being scratched, facts to which where not true.

The bottom line is, this scratched horse raced. The people who bet this race on BET CRIS service had been misinformed as to who was even in the race and the race should be voided, due to technical issues to all punters, I have no idea how this could happen, I am not even sure how you would have calculated odds on such event, given it was separated from what was reality. I really fear as a punter if a betting system post a mistake of such magnitude the race should be voided.

If the horse was a late scratch that's betting and a part of horse racing, but telling a punter a horse is scratched and he in facts races is not proper. It would be like saying BetCris is creating its own race separate from the actual race.

I must say, when I watched the race and saw that the scratched horse was racing. First I was shocked and felt really missguided but felt it would be a voided race, I chatted with their support team ASAP they said first check your account in 15 minutes and when I did and saw that no funds had been returned, I chatted to the support team once more and this is what was noted "What does it matter you bet the 1 horse it was not effected" Thats not the answer a punter would like to have when they just felt they have been misinformed on a race.

I feel compelled to inform organizations and forums like yours and horse punters to understand what BET CRIS have done and the way they have explained this technical error. Im sure they are in good standing I think, but when a system fails like this, chances are it has failed before. Punters have one right in horse racing to know who is in the race the second they make a wager.

They sent me one email by a person named Dave, with no title, no last name or email signature, saying "cause you never bet the horse in question it does not effect you". Well I want horse punters to know what Dave's answer was, that horse punters dont have the right to be informed as to who is in the race or not when a technical error on BET CRIS. com system takes place.


All horse punters should have the right to know who is in the race and not. Bet Cris.com feels its not important judge for yourself do you want to bet with a organization that scatches horses in a race who are not scratched

[Peep]

Not sure what they could do.

They couldn't really void the whole race, because then the players who picked the winner would complain.

What do you want them to do?

[bigboydan]

You can't cancel is the correct answer Peep. Their for nothing really to complain about accept for chalking it up to a bad beat IMO.

[dougieb08]

The main issue is that any horse player who bets on a system that is not accountable for system failure such as telling its punters who is in the race is not a system any horse punter should be involved in. The bet I made was not big by any means the fact that they scratched a horse who was entered. The presidence that this send to betters is remarkable.

When racetracks make mistakes on payout of any mistake they are accountable, Bet Cris says they are not accountable when they dont list the proper entries of a race and that takes back horse racing 100 years in time.

Racetracks dont error like Bet Cris did what is the proper way to settle this is 1-void the race 2-refund and take the loss on the placings. In fact im not even sure how they calculated the odds on the winning payouts was that self created as well?

[tomcowley]

FWIW, when this happens in real life, the "scratched" horse runs for prize money, but not as part of the parimutuel pool. Since the race went 5-7-4, you wouldn't have won anything or gotten a refund at the track. The end result is right, but the level of CS you received is unsurprising.

People who did bet 5/7/4 probably got overpaid vs. what they would have gotten if cris had manually corrected the scratch out of the pool.

[dougieb08]

Would have to argue what you noted a race track cant do the same mistake which betcris did by having a horse scratched and racing. Yes I do understand there are cases where a entry will race for prize only , but the punter is aware of that horse in the race. This was not the case.

On the price payout, if the betting favourite was out of the event then any payout in this event got odds below the value not above. So at Yonkers if the chalk is out there is a decline in odds for every horse not an increase, so BetCRIS made it a win, lose for anyone involved in this event.

But the issue that I stand by as a punter when you make a wager you should have the right to know who is racing and for BET CRISS they did not inform the punter correct and if they are allowed to set a rule like this they can declare any horse scrateched at anytime.

[cobra_king]

His point is 100% valid in terms of handicapping a race, so to say that he has nothing to complain about is ridiculous. However the question is, should the player bear any of the responsibility for not knowing about this situation on his own, and is he at fault for relying strictly on Bet Cris to provide him with the proper changes at Yonkers raceway? In the days when i was allowed to wager on horses at Pinnacle, (yes some of us were slashed even before they recently discontinued it) I NEVER relied solely on their software for the changes. I always cross referenced them with the changes that were posted directly from the racetrack as i felt it was my responsibility to ensure accurate information. To me if the source of the information is not coming from the racetrack itself, then as frustrating as it may be to see this situation arise, in the end i feel that the punter is responsible. Now saying that, I see that the BetCris Customer Services is living up to their reputation, as their answer to the OP's query is totally silly but not the least bit surprising.

[tomcowley]

I've read about this happening live. A late scratch is announced, but the wrong horse is announced scratched and removed from the pool. For a period of time, bets are taken under the assumption that the horse is gone, but it runs anyway. I agree that this sucks for the OP, but industry standard isn't to void the race, even if it "should" be.

[Justin7]

dougieb08,

You raise some interesting points. I can see how a mis-scratched horse would affect the dynamics of the whole race, whether or not that horse placed.

Was this horse listed as "scratched" at other books, or at US Tracks?

How would a US Track grade your wager if it incorrectly said a horse was scratched?

[pokernut9999]

I saw this at a book about a month ago , they had the favorite listed as scratched but I was watching the live feed and knew he was not scratched. I just passed on the race and of course the favorite won. Their CS sould realize this mistake and refund your bets. I have found most offshore books have no clue on grading horse wagers.

[dougieb08]

What happened in this case, could not happen at any live race track, unless it was a morning scratch line error. Punters have the ability to view a tote board and not fear error at a track in fact in tote board errors they pay out on technical errors as well proper payout.

Only one time I have seen something close to this is when the program printed made a distance error the race was voided and became a non betting event

I would agree with what is noted above, that these horse books like Bet Cris Dont really have horse book mentality and if this has been seen by others, it brings caution to the online industry for horse books. I also agree with what is noted above a better perhaps needs a back up plan of viewing the race live.

To me I am new to betting online and I never expected an error of this magnitude such as not knowing who is in the race or not. For BET CRIS to say it does not effect the punter suggest how much caution is needed when betting with them.

I look at what BET CRIS did was self create a betting event, seperate from reality of what any other punter had to deal with. What I should have mentioned was that I warned them prior to the payout and they had a chance to take some action.

The big concern a punter should be saying about BET CRIS is if their position is for as long as a technical error does not effect the placing who cares, well having that attitude suggest if the horse placed and gave punters no chance to win, chances are it would be pulling teeth to get a refund.

Knowing who is in a race is the only right a horse punter has when they bet and if a company like BET CRIS suggest different there must be other horse books that would think that at least I hope.....