Outrage! Punters denied big-time after sportsbook voids millions in Clark bets
Wyndham Clark's 54-hole victory at Pebble Beach has left bettors furious after bookmakers void millions in payouts.
A number of American sportsbooks, including DraftKings, have found themselves facing criticism following Wyndham Clark's victory at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
The bookmakers left themselves exposed to millions of dollars worth of payouts after failing to close bets on Saturday after Clark had finished his third round where he carded a course record 60 at Pebble Beach to lead by one shot.
With bets still open to be made as late as Sunday morning, bettors spotted what they believed to be an excellent opportunity to make big money quickly.
With a number of punters realising it was unlikely play would commence on Sunday due to the terrible conditions, hundreds of bets were placed on Clark to be the outright winner, with many people also including him in accumulators with various other top-5 players.
With inclement weather preventing players from starting the final round, the fourth day's play was cancelled, and Clark was crowned the winner, leading many people to believe they had hit the jackpot.
Instead of paying out on what appeared to be valid bets, DraftKings, voided millions of dollars worth of payouts, leaving punters furious with the apparent denial of payment.
One accumulator that included Clark was valued at just over $755,000.
Many bookmakers, however, including DraftKings, state in their house rules that if bets are made after the completion of one round and before the start of another, they are voided if the subsequent round isn't played.
And it appears it is this exact rule that has caught out a number of bettors, who believed that they might be able to pull a fast one.
Here's how some X users reacted:
Following the claims of injustice online and undoubtedly hundreds of angry emails and phone calls, DraftKings issued the following statement:
Related: Why Wyndham Clark said 'no' to LIV
By all accounts, it looks as if the fine print has saved bookmakers in this particular case, and a lot of people will be walking away empty-handed despite believing that their bank accounts were set to bulge.
With Clark starting the week at 100/1, it's not all bad news for bettors, though, with those who backed him during the third round on Saturday or before still walking away with some tidy winnings.
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