An angry punter is suing a bookmaker for failing to pay him £23,000 from a winning football coupon.
Jamie Ross, 34, placed a £100 accumulator on a series of European matches with online gambling company 666Bet.com.
He was thrilled when all 17 teams he bet on including heavyweights from the Italian, Spanish and French leagues won over a two-week period at odds of around 225/1.
But his joy turned to misery when the bookie had its gambling licence suspended just days later.
It immediately took down its website meaning thousands of customers couldn’t access their accounts or any winnings they’d accrued.
“The win felt awesome,” said Jamie, from Edinburgh.
“Getting all the results right was amazing and it was a great feeling thinking I had all that money.”
However, unbeknown to Jamie, he had put the bet on days before UK regulator the Gambling Commission suspended 666Bet’s licence.
He said: “I went on 666Bet’s site after seeing the Gambling Comm-ission had suspended its licence.
“I thought there might be a delay in getting my money but then I saw the bet had been voided and my betting history was no longer available.
“They’ve said they’re going to pay back everything that is owed and they seem to have paid back some of the smaller bets, but they have voided some of the bigger ones.
“They can’t just pick and choose.”
He said he had complained numerous times via email and social media, but hadn’t received a reply from 666Bet or its parent company Metro Play.
He has now appointed solicitors to take legal action against the firm.
Other disgruntled customers left out of pocket have signed an online petition set up by Jamie.
He said: “It’s been a nightmare. There has been no communication from 666Bet and the Gambling Commission have not been helpful either.”
Mike Langdon, 46, has still not seen a penny of the £9,400 which was in his account when 666Bet had its licence suspended.
“I’ve given them seven days to pay it back but I’ve still heard nothing,” he said.
A spokesman for the Gambling Commission confirmed the company’s licence remained suspended because the regulator suspects it is “unsuitable to carry out the licensed activities”.
But he said that, under law, the bookie should settle any winning bets.
A “significant” number of punters had already been paid, he added.
But he admitted the Commission was powerless to force 666Bet to pay its remaining customers immediately.
Customers have until today to withdraw money from their accounts.
The spokesman said: “Once the deadline has passed, customers will have the normal legal remedies for debt recovery in the courts.
“The Commission does not in any way guarantee funds deposited by consumers or prizes due.”
666Bet has previously denied that the suspension of its licence was linked to arrests in the UK, the Isle of Man and Guernsey in connection with a £21 million tax fraud and money laundering investigation.
Police raided businesses and seized documents as part of the joint police and customs operation codenamed Bannock.
Those arrested have been released on bail. 666Bet were unavailable for comment last night.
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