Strabane man has to fight to get his winnings from bookies

A STRABANE man has criticised betting giant Ladbrokes after being initially denied £55 in winnings on a greyhound bet – despite having a valid betting slip in hand.

Bill Killackey recently placed a £5 bet on Droopy’s Plunge in the English Greyhound Derby in Towcester, only to be told afterwards that his bet was void because the race “wasn’t covered” by the bookmaker.

Speaking about the incident, Bill explained, “I went into Ladbrokes on the afternoon of Saturday June 14 and placed a £5 bet on the English Greyhound Derby. I backed Droopy’s Plunge, a 10/1 shot. The race wasn’t being run until later that evening so I went home. After the race, I checked the result and was pleased to discover I had won £55.”

However, when he returned on Monday morning to collect his winnings, he was met with disappointment.

“I went back into Ladbrokes and was met by the same person who had taken my bet on the Saturday,” he continued. “When I produced my docket and asked for my winnings, he refused, saying ‘we didn’t cover the race,’ meaning I lost out.”

Bill asked to speak with the manager, who confirmed that the particular greyhound meeting had not been covered by Ladbrokes, therefore rendering the bet void. Understandably frustrated, Bill questioned how the bet was accepted in the first place.

“I don’t understand why the bet was taken when they clearly knew the race wasn’t being covered, rendering the bet void,” he said. “Had my dog lost, I wouldn’t have gone back to ask for my stake back.”

Bill also stressed he wasn’t raising the issue solely for his own sake.

“I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who’s been caught out by this. If you place a bet in a bookie, it’s only right to expect that the bet is paid out if you win.”

The Chronicle contacted Ladbrokes for clarification, asking why the bet was accepted on a race not being covered, why this wasn’t flagged to the customer at the time, and what measures would be taken to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Following these inquiries, a spokesperson said, “We will pay out the winning sum to the customer as a gesture of goodwill. The bet technically should have been voided as we were not able to take bets on the 2025 Greyhound Derby at Towcester.”

Bill was understandably pleased with this development.

“It’s great news that I’ll be getting the winnings I deserve and I’m glad for that,” he said. “Although I hope in the future that Ladbrokes will be more careful about accepting bets on races they’re not supposed to in the first place.”