Betfred: Blackjack player wins ₤ 1.7 m prize after High Court fight

7 April 2021

A Betfred punter rejected a ₤ 1.7 m jackpot over an alleged software glitch has won a legal fight to declare the jackpots.

Andy Green, from Lincolnshire, scooped the reward in January 2018 while playing a blackjack game on his phone.

The bookie refused to pay, claiming the error implied the video game was not operating correctly.

High Court judge Mrs Justice Foster ruled in Mr Green's favour and stated the company had no grounds for keeping payment.

The judgement suggests Mr Green, from Washingborough, will lastly get his payout, plus interest, after a three-year fight.

'Champagne ready'

In a statement, he said the lengthy row over the payout had actually made him wish he 'd never won.

"Together with my household, I have actually been through some really low times and become extremely down," he said.

"My physical health has likewise suffered badly, and I often wanted I 'd never ever won this promotion code cash, due to the fact that it was simply making my life a suffering.

"But today, I feel like the world has been taken off my shoulders and I feel so exceptionally pleased and relieved - for me, my family and my legal group.

"The champagne can lastly come off ice and be savoured."

Betfred apologised for the hold-up in Mr Green receiving his money and stated it would not appeal against the yohaig code ruling.

Speaking in 2018, he said he had gone "definitely crazy" after scooping the jackpot on the Frankie Dettori Magic Seven Blackjack game.

Following the win, he extended his overdraft and invested more than ₤ 2,500 commemorating with friends and family.

In her judgment, Mrs Justice Foster stated when he later on contacted Betfred they "did not look for at this promotion code point to recommend besides that he was a huge winner".

But a few days later, a Betfred director called him to say there had actually been a "software application error" and it was rejecting the claim.

Mr Green stated he seemed like he had actually been kicked and had his "withins removed" after receiving the call.

After he challenged the decision, the business at one phase offered him ₤ 60,000 as a token of "goodwill" on the premises he agreed not to discuss it ever once again, however he refused.

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In April 2019 he took his case to the High Court intending to sue Betfred and its parent company, Gibraltar-based Petfre, for ₤ 2m, to consist of the yohaig code interest he would have earned from the win.

Betfred had argued that the software glitch, which stopped the video game from resetting effectively while Mr Green was playing, was covered under the conditions of the game.

However, Mrs Justice Foster ruled that the wording of the stipulations trust was "insufficient", and "not transparent or reasonable and Betfred were not entitled to rely upon them".

A Betfred spokesperson stated: "Mr Green won the jackpot 3 times whilst playing a game supplied by among our third-party suppliers.

"The provider reported a software issue to us and advised that we should withhold payment.

"However, we will comply with the court's decision and not appeal. We would like to apologise to Mr Green for the hold-up in receiving his money."

Mr Green's lawyer Peter Coyle said he was "thrilled" for his client, adding that the judgement would "promise to others who might be believing that the huge, rich guys constantly win".

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Washingborough

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