There May Be Controversy Ahead

Braun Strowman's addition to the WWE Championship match - for WWE WrestleMania Backlash - has the potential to cause more controversy in regards to how Paddy Power Betfair has started to settle its pro wrestling match markets.

Earlier this year, I wrote about a situation in which the sportsbook graded my wager on Keith Lee to win the WWE United States Championship triple threat match at WWE Elimination Chamber 2021 as a loss when Lee did not wrestle in the match and was replaced by John Morrison.

Matt Riddle was declared the winner by pinning Morrison and - as a result - Bobby Lashley dropped the US Title.

I'm once again holding a bet receipt for a Bobby Lashley title defence. This time, I have two bets - one at 10/11 and the other at 5/4 - for Drew McIntyre to beat the WWE Champion at WrestleMania Backlash.

In my opinion, Strowman's inclusion should now void ALL previous bets on the match due to Paddy Power's rule - which can be viewed below - that states 'should a match have a wrestler added/removed/replaced so that it fundamentally alters the manner of the contest, all bets will be void'.

Ideally, the trader in charge of the market would see that the addition of Strowman to the match now fundamentally changes its dynamic, but - going by recent history - I have a feeling they will once again claim that the market was antepost despite only two people being advertised for the contest at the times my bets were struck.

I thought that, with McIntyre having a protected loss at WrestleMania through a ref stoppage, he would come back and pick up a win - whether it be straight up or via disqualification - at the next PPV.

Braun Strowman now being added to the mix makes me suspect he'll be the fall guy to give either Lashley or McIntyre an out when they 'lose'.

As of the time of writing, Paddy Power Betfair has a market for the new match. Bobby Lashley is a 5/6 favourite, Drew McIntyre is 13/8 and Strowman is 10/3.

8:20PM BST UPDATE: I have cashed out both bets for a loss. I'd rather take a hit than go through the hassle of trying to get the bet voided/refunded after the PPV if McIntyre isn't declared the winner. As I said above, the dynamic has fundamentally changed and I am not as sure now that McIntyre will get the W.

Reporting Paddy Power To IBAS: Part II

It has been a week since I published THIS POST in which I wrote about an issue I have with Paddy Power Online concerning a bet I placed on Keith Lee to win the United States Championship match at WWE Elimination Chamber 2021.

My wager was declared a loss despite Keith Lee being replaced by John Morrison in the match and other sports betting firms (such as Sky Bet and Kambi) cancelling bets due to the late change.

Paddy Power refused to void the bet by claiming that the market was an outright/antepost and not one of the regular markets for matches.

After reaching an impasse with the customer service rep, I filed a complaint with IBAS. I then waited for a response from the sports betting adjudication service.

During the time while waiting for IBAS to get back to me, I sent an email to Paddy Power Betfair CEO, Peter Jackson, in the hope that he could help with my issue in any way. 

I didn't hear anything back from Mr Jackson as of the time of writing. I received an email from IBAS yesterday, though.

In the mail, I was informed that I needed  a 'final decision from Paddy Power' in order for the complaint to progress.

After writing to Paddy Power's escalation team - using the email that IBAS instructed me to use   I received an email informing me that the inbox was no longer in use. I was then given a few links that would send me to the live chat.

I was sent back to where it all began - the customer service team's live chat facility.

To try not to bore you with all the details, I was chatting with one person on Monday evening, but I had to leave the chat. The agent promised me that somebody from the escalations team would email me. 

I waited all Monday night and, this afternoon, I decided to get back through to them. I ended up back with a new agent and explained that I needed the final decision from the escalation team so I could send it across to IBAS.

The agent then passed me onto a manager who looked over my case. I showed her most of the things I pointed out in last week's post (the betting rules, evidence that Sky Bet and Kambi voided their markets for the match, proof that there was no clear message above Paddy Power's market for the match which stated that it was an outright/antepost market).

The manager got in touch with a trader. The trader got back to her once again stating that the market was an outright one and that all bets were settled correctly and referred to the outright rule that 'bets placed on superstars who take no part in the match will be settled as losers'.

As I've argued - the US Championship match market was not outright and therefore, the rule that the market would be voided with the circumstances that  'should a match have a wrestler added/removed/replaced, so that it fundamentally alters the manner of the contest' 

The manager then went on to say that they noticed that I had not made any previous misunderstandings and would refund my wager as free bet as a 'good will gesture'.

I declined pointing out that the misunderstanding was on their part. I wanted my refund as cash.

(I didn't even think about this until after the chat, but to say that I had no previous 'misunderstandings' was insulting considering I had contacted them following the Survivor Series of 2016 or 2017 when they had accidentally settled a bet in my favour.  I pointed out that I should have lost)

After declining the offer of a free £4 bet, I was then given an ultimatum: I could get the refund as cash with an added condition that I would never be able to get a 'good will gesture' if any other issue were to arise in future. 

Seeing as I gamble with the sportsbook on other genres like American Football, the fantasy sports and other things - and bearing in mind I know that market was settled incorrectly with no misunderstanding on my part - I refused the offer by saying I would continue with my request for IBAS to look at it for me.

The manager told me that an email with my reference for IBAS would be sent to me. 

Once it arrived, I noticed that the letter - which was from Paddy Power's Complaints Case Coordinator - detailed that I had been offered the £4 in cash. However, it was missing the condition that forced me to turn it down. I replied, pointing out that I hoped what forced the impasse would be known to IBAS when the case is looked into.

The complaints coordinator replied swiftly to inform me that there would be no suggestion from her side that I would not be excluded from any future goodwill gestures. I then had to go back to the chat with the manager, find where she made the ultimatum, and send it back to the coordinator.

In her reply, the coordinator gave me her word that I would get the £4 back as cash without any unforeseeable issues in future.

The money was refunded to me.

I don't even consider today's result a win. It's clear as day that it was a regular match market and the company made me out to be the one who had made the mistake, which is ironic considering that Paddy Power promotes itself as a brand that gives justice to the punter.

It's just a marketing scheme when it all boils down.

Reporting Paddy Power To IBAS

I had to ask IBAS to look into a dispute with Paddy Power Online today.

The problem I have with the sportsbook is related to a wager I placed on the US Championship match at last Sunday's WWE Elimination Chamber PPV.

I gambled on Keith Lee to walk away with the strap. As we now know, Lee was unable to make the match and was replaced by John Morrison.

Matt Riddle went on to win the match by pinning the replacement.

I logged into my Paddy Power account yesterday and noticed I had a bit of cash in it. I assumed that, just like with Sky Bet and Kambi, the wagers I had placed on the match had been voided due to the advertised participants in the match having been replaced. It wasn't until late last night when I was contacted by a friend of this blog that it became clear that the bookmaker had settled the market with Riddle as the winner.

One of the betting rules on the company's website states that 'should a match have a wrestler added/removed/replaced, so that it fundamentally alters the manner of the contest, all bets will be void'. 

Knowing that rule, and considering the fact that - had Lee entered the match - there is a chance he would have been the guy who left with the strap, I thought the customer service person, and ultimately the trader, would return my stake.

I was informed that the bet would remain a loss. The operator relayed to me that the market was settled under 'ante post' rules and that those terms and conditions would have been displayed above the market. 

As someone who follows the betting, to ensure I have everything correct and can refer back to it, I take screenshots of the markets I write about. I informed the staff member that I had a copy of the page and there was no blurb that indicated it was an antepost market. 

I had wagers on The Miz to win the Elimination Chamber match that were also graded as lost. I didn't dispute those punts because I believe I lost fairly considering I thought there was a chance Miz would lose and then immediately cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase before it ended (my bet was struck before Miz removed himself from the match, but I still felt there was a chance he would become a participant via a cash-in).

I don't consider the loss on Lee fair.

The stake I am chasing is only £4 and it does seem like quite an effort to go through to get it back. What is important to me is fairness. I placed a bet on a regular match winner market. Just like any other regular match market I have gambled on in the past.

We're living in an age where advertised performers are being pulled from matches due to illnesses, injuries and even pregnancies, so I am feeling somewhat distrusting towards Paddy Power / Betfair in regards to how the firm will settle future markets in which advertised performers are replaced hours, and possibly even minutes, before the respective match.

Ask yourself this - how would the market have been settled had Morrison won?