[portman]

Dear users I wish your sincere contribution over the problem I encounter.

First of all I clarify that I do not disclose the name of the bookmaker because I do not want you to prejudge your opinion based on former experiences (positive or negative). Even more importantly, because even though I strongly believe that my arguments are persuasive enough, I always have the doubt if my opinion is falsified due to my subjective positioning and my personal will over this matter. Therefore I ask for your objective opinion on the following specific case

1. The game is Estoril – PSV Eindhoven for the Europa League. I have placed two wagers on this bookmaker, one for Estoril and one for draw, approximately of the same value (high three-digit figure). The game starts on Thursday 27^th of November as was scheduled but in the half-time and due to heavy rain, referee and UEFA decide to interrupt the game in order to continue next afternoon at 5 o’clock local time.
2. Accidentally, when reviewing my bets in this specific shop, I found out that it had cancelled both of my wagers by claiming that they are ‘’no-action’’. Note that Estoril won 3-2 at the point of the interruption and therefore the shop had a clear benefit to cancel both wagers (finally the game ended 3-3).
3. I immediately contacted them and explain that the game is about to be continued tomorrow and therefore the bet settlement was mistaken. Initially their representative was not aware of this fact and tried to convince me that the game was permanently abandoned. I provided them the official UEFA page which explicitly declared that the match was only interrupted and about to be continued next day.
4. After a lengthy chat, the representative persisted on their initial decision that both bets must be cancelled and here is the point that the trouble begins.
5. I looked thoroughly their terms which are divided in General terms and soccer-related terms. In the General terms is referred that: ‘’All sporting events must be played on date unless otherwise specified. If an event is postponed and/or rescheduled or a change of venue, the event will automatically constitute "no action," which means all monies for that event will be refunded (. All parlays/exotics will be recalculated excluding that leg of the parlay, using payout charts for that sport/betting option. Individual tennis matches have no action if the match is not fully completed due to withdrawal/incapacity or disqualification. If a match is rescheduled due to scheduling and weather problems bad light etc, then all wagers will have action and all wagers will stand.’’
6. Their soccer-related rules are referring the following: ‘’If any match is abandoned or postponed all bets will be void unless the relevant market result has already happened. For example, "first goal scorer" betting will stand if a goal has already been scored.’’
7. This is clearly a very special case since not frequently soccer match are not determined upon their kick-off. My argument says that the match was not postponed (postponed means that It was scheduled to take place on Monday but it rather was postponed for Thursday), nor abandoned (which means that it stopped at half time without any actual result) but simply interrupted due to rain. Their argument says that the match was postponed on Thursday and therefore their soccer-specific rules must be applied which declare all bets as no-action. My argument says that since the match was not postponed but kicked off as normal, it is the explicit case which is described in the general terms and says word by word that ‘’ . If a match is rescheduled due to scheduling and weather problems bad light etc, then all wagers will have action and all wagers will stand.’’.
8. In order to enforce my arguments I suggested them to look how they have graded hundreds of tennis matches that have been interrupted due to rain, or simply moved for the following day because they have lasted too long. I reminded them the epic match between John Isner and Nicolas Mahut for the 2010 Wimbledon which lasted three (!!!!) days, because the light was fading without any breaks on serve and a subsequent winner on the fifth set. Again they distinguished the sports and insisted that they have graded the bet correctly.

I am asking for your contribution on this matter, It is admittedly a vague case since is not frequently for soccer matches to get interrupted amid the game. If some of you endorse my arguments then I will file a complaint and chase the issue even further since the money are a lot. On contrary if I have perceived something mistakenly and some of you indicate my misunderstanding then I will close the issue here without disclosing any info about the bookmaker that this issue took place. Thanks in advance for your comments.

[MoMoneyMoVaughn]

I wouldn't pursue the issue to the point where it will piss off unidentified book...

It sounds like your match falls in a grey area of their rules. Technically the match did not fully play out which means that Point 6 is invalid because, in theory, the other team could have come back to win 4-3.

I understand how you feel, I just think the terms of service they have laid out to you place all of the power in their hands. The match was technically not "rescheduled"...

I just think your outta luck here. Seriously, wtf do I know though?

[Spacefrog]

I had a bet on PSV on that game that was graded as no action.
Of course i don´t know if we are talking about the same bookmaker.

[Optional]

I think they are correct according to their rules portman.

I agree the non-defined word 'postponed' is open to interpretation, but I think the fact the soccer rule mentions that already settled bets will be paid on postponement clearly shows that they did forsee this exact type of situation and intended for all other bets to be void.

‘’If any match is abandoned or postponed all bets will be void unless the relevant market result has already happened. For example, "first goal scorer" betting will stand if a goal has already been scored.’’

[pavyracer]

What is the book's policy for baseball? Many MLB games are continued the next day on rain delays that can't finish the game in same day.