Classicbet.com.au - information requested

[Ewan101]

Hi Optional. Yes, I have heard it said that they are on a sales drive with emails promising very large bonuses. This results in the typical anguish of "I want that bonus" countered by the usual suspicion that such offers bring (sportsbook in trouble and trying to generate cash). That is actually the reason I have rekindled this old thread - to see what people currently think about Classicbet.

[Ewan101]

Hi All,

I am sorely tempted to join Classicbet due to the generous bonus currently offered and the fact that in this thread it does appear they pay.

However I have done some deeper googling and there are simply multiple cases of accounts being closed with bonus bets still in them and customer service ignoring emails and calls requesting payouts from these closed accounts. It seems that people have to mess around for several weeks before receiving payments (best case) and it does sound risky to me.

If you google Classicbet bigfooty you will find this thread at the top of the search results and here is a direct quote:

*********WARNING********* SCAM ALERT

I'm not one to complain normally but all below signs are of a business on borrowed time and cash flow issues. I'm owed $3700 and of that is my initial $3000 deposit.

Typed this on my phone while on the train to work.

1. Tuesday 20.10.15- Made a 3k deposit and advised of a unrealistic bonus tier scheme.
2. Wednesday - Place two wagers with a total of 1k for $750 profit
3. Wednesday - Account closed without noticed and left a number to call when i tried to login.
4. Called Thursday to be advised funds have already been transferred back and nothing was required of me to ensure process wouldn't be delayed.
5. Friday - Email received wanting passport, drivers licence and credit card copies before funds would be transferred. Called back to ensure they have these and ask why the funds had left their account and if ANY other details were required. Closure of account due to the risk to them, are you kidding me...... $750 profit....
6. Monday - Email received wanting bank details!!!!! I called and politely asked why and they advised 3k would be transferred back to my credit card and $700 to my bank as if it was in my favor.
7. Today Tuesday 27.10.15 - No EFT as promised and no deposit... A different person everytime with different stories and im starting to wonder if my funds were used to pay out others or in a Costa Rica back betting account.

Stay clear and bet only with reputable larger cashed up businesses.

I'll advise the outcome but it seems we have rogue Aussie sports book which operates similar to offshore businesses (ridiculous turn over requirements and long payout times)

And from the same thread:

I used them for a while. Had an account manager called Da. Seriously. Anyway they had great products and great deposit bonuses etc, rewards points all good, and eventually they shut my account down when it was winning. I told them I wanted to still be let on nsw races as per the law, "sure", they said, "but you need to fill out these extra forms."

One of the things they asked for in there was my last 5 years of tax returns. Wtf?

**************************************** *************************

So overall I think it just sounds too risky. You can deposit a few k and make a "sharp" wager and if you are unlucky they will close your account and deny you access to your bonus bets and then be ignored by customer service and perhaps not end up with your cash. In addition, there is evidence here they will ask for unrealistic things like 5 years of tax returns which I find outrageous and presumably contrary to gambling law in Australia.

Do any of the main contributors here:

Hareeba
rez
Optional
maloneyy
Border Gadgie
jjgold
vitas27
$simple$imon

...have any further comments based on this new information? Regards.

[Optional]

I've got nothing to add but would be interested to hear what regulators and NSW racing think about the 5 years of tax returns request.

[Ewan101]

Thanks Optional. I have continued to google around and there are other threads stating accounts closed / emails and calls ignored / difficulties withdrawing funds. Some from 2015 and some from 2016. Now of course there will always be punters who do not give the full story or who distort the story but even given this, the volume of bad stories is too high. You would never see this volume with "A" bookmakers like SportsBet / Ladbrokes / William Hill etc. This leads me to the conclusion that at least some of the stories are true and therefore finally I am flagging ClassicBet as simply too high risk. It's annoying as their bonus bets are very tempting.

Having stated all this I would be very interested to hear of any genuinely positive stories of ClassicBet from 2016 and 2017. Even if accounts are closed after a couple of sharp bets this is kind of ok. The issue I have is that punters are having difficulties and being ignored when they try to withdraw their funds.

[Hareeba!]

Not sounding good is it?
I don't use them any more since they barred me from BOB and top fluc.
Sports odds uncompetitive.
So they really offer nothing I can't get at least as good elsewhere.

[Ewan101]

Hi rez and Hareeba! Thanks for your valuable (as usual) contributions. Greatly appreciated as always.

I agree Hareeba! they offer nothing that is not available elsewhere - except for 1 or 2 k in bonus bets which of course is of value to me.

Rez thanks for that information about your balance being honoured in March 2017 including outstanding bets at the time of closure. That's very valuable information too. Personally, my risk profile is that they will decide to close my account after a few bets AND that I will have a bonus bet in progress at the time of closure. It looks good now that they will honour balances and regular outstanding bets but I have this feeling that if your account is closed AND a bonus bet in progress wins they may not honour the result of that bonus bet. This circumstance would be damaging to me (although based on these musings I may change my bonus bet strategy with Classicbet so that I will not be damaged in this circumstance).

Rez you are correct that the articles I link to are 2015 (and I have also seen enough information from 2016 to be worried). Annoyingly I have not been able to find any new information dated 2017 so the jury is out on ClassicBet for me. I am hoping that further contributions in this thread will fill the gap - although rez your contribution above almost tips the balance towards me risking maybe 1 or 2 k with Classicbet.

[MasonJones]

What I find quite concerning is the fact, that you cannot look at the T&Cs if you havent signed up with them yet. T&C´s should always be freely available since this makes one of the reasons to sign up with someone or not.

[Optional]

What I find quite concerning is the fact, that you cannot look at the T&Cs if you havent signed up with them yet. T&C´s should always be freely available since this makes one of the reasons to sign up with someone or not.

There is a link at the bottom of the front page to all their terms, which I can view without an account.

http://promo.classicbet.com.au/rules/

[MasonJones]

Thanks Optional, I just saw it now.