Betfred: Blackjack gamer wins ₤ 1.7 m jackpot after High Court fight

7 April 2021

A Betfred punter denied a ₤ 1.7 m jackpot over a supposed software application glitch has won a legal battle to declare the winnings.

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

The bookmaker refused to pay, declaring the error indicated the yohaig code video game was not operating properly.

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

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

'Champagne prepared'

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

"In addition to my household, I have actually been through some extremely low times and become extremely down," he said.

"My physical health has likewise suffered badly, and I often wished I 'd never won this money, because it was just making my life a suffering.

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

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

Betfred apologised for the delay in Mr Green getting his cash and stated it would not appeal versus the judgment.

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

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

In her ruling, Mrs Justice Foster said when he later on called Betfred they "did not seek at this promotion code moment to suggest aside from that he was a big winner".

But a few days later, a Betfred director called him to state there had actually been a "software mistake" and it was declining the claim.

Mr Green said he seemed like he had actually been kicked and had his "withins ripped out" after getting the call.

After he challenged the choice, the company at one stage provided him ₤ 60,000 as a token of "goodwill" on the grounds he concurred not to discuss it ever again, however he declined.

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In April 2019 he took his case to the High Court aiming to take legal action against Betfred and its moms and dad business, Gibraltar-based Petfre, for ₤ 2m, to include the yohaig code interest he would have made from the win.

Betfred had actually argued that the software problem, which stopped the game from resetting appropriately while Mr Green was playing, was covered under the yohaig code terms and conditions of the video game.

However, Mrs Justice Foster ruled that the phrasing of the clauses trust was "inadequate", and "not transparent or reasonable and Betfred were not entitled to trust them".

A Betfred spokesperson stated: "Mr Green won the jackpot three times whilst playing a video game offered by one of our third-party suppliers.

"The provider reported a software application issue to us and recommended that we must withhold payment.

"However, we will comply with the court's choice and not appeal. We wish to apologise to Mr Green for the delay in getting his money."

Mr Green's lawyer Peter Coyle said he was "delighted" for his customer, adding that the judgement would "promise to others who might be thinking that the big, abundant guys always win".

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Washingborough

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