Bookies do a Keyser Soze

[CheekyGol]

Firstly HI EVERYONE!!! Kinda feels like home already!! I'm pretty new to this game but am obsessed with exploiting my knowledge/experience and learning so much from everyone here.. My life story will be with you in the coming weeks (its kinda long trust me) but for now lets just say that i am an intermediate poker player (with about £400+ of books in a box next to my bed) and that i've been into gambling all my life, though irresponsibly in my younger days (i'm 30 now) more calculatingly these days with serious aspirations of getting myself out of life's brown stuff! Lets just say that as things stand i'm about -£8k+ on my credit file, currently unemployed (from a call centre background) and that i evolved from teenage 'bandit runs' (fruit machine sessions pub to pub) to sports trading to texas holdem more recently..

Anyway I've got myself a problem:

Received a letter from B3tt3rb3t in Nov '09 stating a >£100 free bet offer with 2 x matching stakes.. I was a bit skint so deposited £50 with a view to backing at 2.0 approx to fund the 2nd qualifying bet to allow a nice freebie at the end. As it turned out the £50 became about £170 and i had the £50 free bet left over.. It was ante post time!! Fancied some value time-wise so tried to get best price on something pretty likely: As it turned out i put it on Che 4 the FA Cup @ 5.0 anticipating a nice £200 should they successfully defend their title, which of course they did yesterday over hapless Pompey..

So picture me running upstairs, dishing the letter out, recalling i'd checked them out with no major probs: Yes i had no electronic record of the stake but they'd paid me ok & the Paul M3rson promotion couped with a Talksport interview had reassured me somewhat.. All of a sudden despite an account number, the site was down, the phone number was dead

So i've checked em out as best i can: J3nningsb3t are trading as them now & the upshot is i have a number to ring to see if my account still exists, which i'll post the result of 2moz.. I've sussed who regged the domain b3tt3rb3t.com & lo & behold its the same address as J3nnings so they are still traceable. I've also sussed that the majority shareholder is the William P3ars Group, who are huge & still trade, so its not as bleak as first appeared.. I'd tried tracing the MD I an H ogg & established that J3nnings are run by a G reg & J ulian K night, but am unsure how the affiliation between J3nnings & B3tt3rb3t occurred or indeed who are the common parties involved..

Just wondering if anyone can shed any light as to whether the B3tter shops are still open? Or whether they have changed to J3nnings? I've tried asking local kebab shops on the same streets know if they're still trading but its been like trying to order a Hawaiian from a Curry House!! My only other question i suppose is can anyone tell me what the hell is going on i suppose? They've messed with the wrong person this time i can tell you..

To explain my editing of company/individual names in the post, its just to stop this being picked up by a search engine, particularly by the individuals concerned! Any help appreciated, & if a little clear sorry in advance just explain & i will clarify asap..

Fantastic forum by the way guys keep it real!!

[CountryLad]

Their current phone number is 08000 89 88 87

[CheekyGol]

Try ringing it!

I initially thought they'd gone bust, then though they had merged with Corbett, then J3nnings (which seems to be true) - the question is does anyone know if the shops are still open in any capacity? Also it would be interesting to find out how J3nningsb3t came to 'trade as' B3tt3rb3t (can't find out on the net) as they existed in their own right anyway.. I already know that the online arm of B3tt3rb3t was sold off to St4n J4m3s circa 2007 but as this was a bet placed over the phone they have nothing to do with it..

And b4 anyone asks the title refers to the Usual Suspects (And like that... He was gone!!) as in Pooof disappeared

[CountryLad]

I still bet with them they close at 10.00 pm - try again after 10.00 am tomorrow mate

Edit: I've just tried ringing the number and as I'd expect there's no answer at this time of night - but the number certainly isn't dead, just no answer!

[The_Reaper]

Theres a Betterbet shop round the corner from me (Newmarket).

[CheekyGol]

Thanks for confirming a shop is still trading as B3tt3rb3t thats really helpful, as is the confirmation they are still doing business, but that phone number has been dead since yesterday afternoon at least, still i will look into things 2moz & post my findings as soon as i confirm my bet exists (to clarify my bet was placed over the phone but in-shop meaning i have no record of it) my account number is BB followed by 5 numbers does that correspond with anything either of you have?

Thanks a million both of you by the way

[CountryLad]

I haven't bet with them them for over a week to be fair. They merged with Jennings at around the new year, but the call centre business was kept trading as a separate business, and e.g. using the same odds as BGbet for football. Worst case I can see is that they have been merged into another Jenningsbet business, but if that was the case I'd have expected a letter. It may just be a fault on the system. 0800 numbers cost money to run, so would be expected to be cut off pretty quicly if the compant wasn't paying for it.

[The_Reaper]

Im sure you will get your money, sounds like nothing to worry about.


Good choice with Chelsea for the cup. I also backed them with one of my Willhill buy one get one free bets and never bother laying it so won a nice £80 yesterday

PS

Dont know if you are already into match betting but £8k is an easily achievable targer with a bit of patience and work.

[CountryLad]

If you need to, the parent company for JenningsBet and BetterBet is Joe Jennings Bookmakers, which can be contacted through the details on their website;

www.joejennings.co.uk

[Andy]

Firstly HI EVERYONE!!! Kinda feels like home already!!

Hello there.

for now lets just say that i am an intermediate poker player

Well you are far too qualified to play with us then (Thats a joke you would be welcome to play but our games are more for fun and the banter than winning any $s)

more calculatingly these days with serious aspirations of getting myself out of life's brown stuff! Lets just say that as things stand i'm about -£8k+ on my credit file, currently unemployed

Well good luck with that do you have any specific plans of exactly how to make the £8k. If you are unemplyed time should be on your side but -£8k start would make Capital an issue.

Anyway I've got myself a problem:

From what I can tell you have a winning bet you cant trace, that is a good problem to have in that if Pompey won you would not have this problem. In the grand scheme of things, this is a good problem.

All of a sudden despite an account number, the site was down, the phone number was dead

The site had been gone for a while dont worry about that. The number im not so sure about but it was late on a Sunday it is very possible they were just shut.

Just wondering if anyone can shed any light as to whether the B3tter shops are still open?

Yes they are there is one in Norwich I can 100% garuntee.

My only other question i suppose is can anyone tell me what the hell is going on i suppose?

If you phone back in normal office hours I am sure they will trace your account and the bet and you will get the money. It is a lot to you right now but to them that is nothing and they would not even contemplate trying to welch on that bet. If you had just won £20k I would have concerns that may be an issue but for £180, they wont rip you off for that.

To explain my editing of company/individual names in the post, its just to stop this being picked up by a search engine, particularly by the individuals concerned!

This is a genuine question, why would that be a problem?

Fantastic forum by the way guys keep it real!!

Yes hopefully we will see more of you. I think if you listen to CountryLad and The_Reaper that will solve the issue. Let us know how it goes.