It’s no fun to lose when you’re betting online, but it happens to everyone. There’s no such thing as a guaranteed win, and many a punter has lost a few pounds when wagering on online bookmakers that offer sportsbooks, casino and other gambling sections. Unfortunately, there’s no undo button in online sports betting. If you think that you can easily get a refund for your lost bet, then you might find yourself in for disappointment.
That doesn’t mean that you’ll never be able to get a refund. There might be grounds for you to ask your bookie for your money back, but you’ll have to present a pretty solid case. Fraudulent activity on your account, for example, is one reason why you might be able to request a refund.
In this article, we’ll be looking at the following:
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When we’re done, you should have a good idea of when you can ask for a refund, and when you should just accept your loss and move on. It’s called gambling for a reason, after all. That means accepting the risks that come with playing games of chance.
When to Ask for A Refund
Before you consider asking for a refund from any bookie, remember that you’re about to contact professional bookies and not just third-rate betting sites. From ‘My Grandson was on my computer’ to ‘The cat did it’, these teams have heard it all. If you can think up an excuse for your loss, the chances are high that they’ve heard it before.
If you’ve got a legitimate problem, however, then there are many channels that you can use to get a refund. First and foremost, we always recommend contacting the bookmaker’s support team. Most of the time the agents are friendly and super helpful, and if you’ve got a legitimate issue, they’ll jump through hoops to help you.
There are four valid reasons why you might be able to get a refund:
You Accidentally Added Money to Your Account
If you’ve added money to your account unintentionally and it’s not been wagered, then you can request a refund. It happens as bookies supports loads of deposit and withdrawal methods that might spin your head and overwhelm you if you are new to betting. This isn’t really a refund in the traditional sense, though, as you’re basically just going to withdraw the money that you’ve already accidentally deposited. There might be a waiting period, though, but you can contact support to let them know about the issue so that they don’t flag the transaction.
Money Has Been Wagered from Your Account Without Consent
This is a tricky one, especially since it’s so hard to prove. There was a case where a man claimed that his underage grandson lost several thousand pounds on wagers without understanding what he was doing.
Unfortunately, proving that turned out to be more difficult than he’d hoped.
Proof is the biggest obstacle that you’re going to encounter when you try to get a refund for money spent without your consent. Before contacting any bookmakers, make sure to read the full terms and conditions listed on their websites. If you can’t see a link to the T&C’s, try to ask customer support for a link. If they can’t provide one, you might be in hot water.
When you do email the support team, make sure to attach all of the supporting documentation and information to help streamline the process. Most bookies will have a complaints procedure, so it’s relatively easy to get in touch with the correct department.
If you’re not happy with the response, then you can escalate to the appropriate authority. If you’re using reputable bookmakers, they should be licensed by an authority, such as the UKGC or MGA. It should also list a third party, such as IBAS, that helps it settle disputes with clients. If this is the case, you can contact those authorities.
Unfortunately, you can’t contact either until you’ve followed the correct complaints procedure first.
Fraudulent Transactions
We live in the age of technology and, while it has its perks, there are a few downsides as well. One of these is the risk of cyber fraud. If you find that there have been unauthorised transactions on your betting or bank account, then you should immediately contact your bank to freeze your account.
You should also contact your bookie so that they can stop any further transactions from taking place, as well as to start discussing your options for getting a refund.
Special Offers that Offer Refunds for Lost Bets
Bookies will often run promotions that allow players to place risk-free bets. One of the few times where you’ll definitely get a ‘refund’ is when you’re using free bets or bet insurance offer.
These promotions offer players the opportunity to place a bet knowing that the bookie will cover them if it loses, but it’s not a get-out-of-jail-free card, and it won’t work more than once.
Some terms and conditions usually apply, so make sure that you familiarise yourself with them before wagering. You can check the promotion section on the bookie’s website to see if it has any of these offers available. If it doesn’t, keep checking. Many bookmakers will change out offers throughout the year.
You’ll notice that we didn’t mention that there’s an option to reclaim your money if you made a bet and lost as a valid option. Sports betting is still gambling, and if you’ve lost a wager, there’s not much more you can do about it except try your luck again in the future.
That said, let’s take a more in-depth look into the different reasons that you might be able to get a refund.
What You Shouldn’t Do to Get a Refund
We understand that the refund process is rarely fun, and you might want to take a shortcut or two. You might even get frustrated, but that doesn’t automatically excuse your actions. Here are two things you should never do when you’re requesting a refund:
1. Chargeback
This is probably the worst thing you can do, and it’s a sure-fire way to get your account blocked. A chargeback is when you contact your bank and ask them to refund a deposit made from your credit card to a bookmaker.
In this case, it would be easy for the bookie to prove that it provided the service that you paid for. The bank will quickly reject your claim after that. You wagered and lost after all. That’s why it’s called gambling.
For UK players, this is no longer an option either. With the new laws preventing the use of credit cards for gambling, chargebacks should soon be a thing of the past.
2. Get Angry, Frustrated or Rude
Whatever the reason for your request, remember that the other person on the line or chat is not all-powerful. They can’t automatically approve a refund simply because you claim that something went wrong, and no amount of swearing, shouting or anger is going to change that.
The best thing that you can do is to remain as calm and polite as possible. Remember that losing your temper is something the representatives of blacklisted bookmakers will do and not honest players. Customer support teams will usually do everything they can to help you with a legitimate refund issue, so try to be a little patient.
Refund Policies
Some bookies may have links to their refund policies. These will usually be found on licensed betting sites in the footer of its website. If you can’t find it, you can always contact customer support and ask them for a link to the refund policy. It’s essential to check if a bookie has such a policy. You might think that most would have one, but even longstanding and experienced bookmakers don’t always make policies available to the public.
Understanding a bookie’s refund policy is a way to know when you can, and when you can’t ask for a refund.
Cancelling Bets
Let’s say that you’ve changed your mind about a bet, and you want to cancel it. Surely, you’d get your stake back, right? Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. It comes down to the bookie’s rules. While some bookmakers will allow punters to cancel their wagers within a specific time of placing them, others only have edit options available.
Before confirming a wager, always double-check that all the details are correct. If you have chosen bookies with cash-out, you might also be able to make use of an early cash-out feature if it’s available. Keep in mind that the cash-out feature isn’t available for all bets, so be 100% sure that you’re happy with your bet before you confirm it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a refund if I lost a bet?
It depends. If you placed the bet using an insured bet offer or similar, then yes. If you simply placed a bet and lost, then no. You wouldn’t want the bookie to ask for a refund if you won, would you?
I bet on a cancelled event. Will I get a refund for my wager?
It depends. Some bookmakers will grant refunds for cancelled events, while others may give you a free bet. Other bookies have specific rules depending on the sport. Your best option is to contact support and find out what your options are.
There was a bet refund promotion, but I didn’t get it. What do I do?
If you didn’t get a refund, there might have been an error in the back end. Promotional offers also have strict terms and conditions, so you might have missed an essential rule. You can contact the support team via live chat or email, if possible, and they’ll usually be happy to help solve your problem.
Are there any offers that will cover my losses?
Bookmakers will occasionally list promotions that can cover your losses. Acca Insurance, for example, is one type of loyalty bonus where you could get a ‘refund’, so to speak. Check your bookie’s offer section frequently to see if there are any promotions that you can use.
Where should I look for a Refund Policy?
Most websites will have a link to the bookie’s refund policy listed somewhere in the footer. If you can’t find it there, you can check the FAQ or terms and conditions pages. You can also request the details from customer support. If none of these options are successful, then you might want to re-evaluate your bookie.
I can’t get a refund, and I want to escalate my dispute to a higher authority. What do I do?
If you have a valid case and you’re not happy with a bookie’s response to your issue, then you can contact IBAS. IBAS is the Independent Betting Adjudication Service, and the bookie must abide by their rulings. That said, make sure that you do have a strong case along with applicable proof.
Conclusion
It’s no fun to lose, but when you’re gambling online, it’s going to happen. It’s important to know when you can ask for a refund, and when you just have to accept your loss and move on. Since no two bookies will have the same refund policy, it’s important to research this before signing up. When in doubt, however, you can always ask the bookmaker’s customer support team for help.
Hopefully, you’ll now have a clearer idea of when you can and can’t ask for a refund from your bookie. Remember, if you want to protect yourself against a loss, your best option is to use promotional offers that offers insurance or free bets. It’s also a good idea to familiarise yourself with the rules on the site itself before you start wagering.
Javia Alex is an expert-level Copywriter/Editor with a wealth of experience in the iGaming scene. A self-described player advocate, Javia’s player-first mindset, “tell it like it is”, has earned her an oft-cited voice across gambling circles. She frequently works late nights and long hours, fact-checking reviews and pages for accuracy.
Now that BET365 knows the nature of that account, they've frozen it and forbidded me to log in again. Even though I've provided all documents they require for the account verification, they tend to reject them using all kinds of excuses.
So Nayden, if you can help me log into my account again and somehow make a withdrawl, I'm willing to share more than half of the proceeds with you.
it is forbidden to play from more than one accounts.