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hi all, i have a friend who attended lingfield races on saturday evening and claims that he obtained 4/1 on treetops hotel in the 1st race as a result of the bookie [hills] putting up the wrong price, i havent come across this in a lot of years racing, has anyone else experienced this happening? and if so does the bookie just accept his mistake with good grace if it happens that youve backed a winner? im curious!
I saw it happen at Chepstow one evening.
The favourite for the first on Betfair was trading at about 6/4 when I left home and when I arrived at the track a bookie was chalking it up at 4/1. I was pointing out the error to my mate when the bookie realised what he had done, he quckly rubbed it off. When I said to him that could have been expensive, he said something along the lines of that he would never have taken a bet at the wrong odds on the basis it was a "palpable error"???
Colin
I would have thought in these days of computerised slips they would have to honour the bet?<br>If a bookie makes a rick he should live with it. <br>I presume you were not talking about a huge sum of money or else alarm bells would have rung in the clerks ears!
I've stumbled on the side of twelve misty mountains
I've walked and I crawled on six crooked highwaysI made a few during my bookie days. Last one I remember was at last year’s Shergar Cup meeting at Ascot. Horse in question was Cavallino – available at 80-1 and 66-1 in a place it was backed from 50s into 20s at one stage. I meant to duck from 40-1 into 33-1 but hit the ‘+’ key instead of ‘-‘ key on the keypad for the electronic board, which displayed 50-1. Tote’s rep had a £5,000/£100 each-way – it was now about 25-1 on Betfair. It was a genuine mistake but i laid it. Fortunately it was 5th. Generally speaking, whether I’d lay the bet or not would depend on who was asking and how much they wanted on.
I’ve noticed once or twice that the ‘betting without’ bookies missing a horse that there has been a few bob for. I’d have to get the racecard out for the horses name but last evening in The Curragh a horse had opened gen price 12/1 was backed into 9/1 gen price.<br>Two bookies bettin with out 2 horses , within a few pitches of each other still had the 8/1 and 15/2 up from the first show. Horse was U.P by the way even w.o the other two. <br>I’ve seen it happen before and will be watchin out for it in future.
(Edited by heffo at 3:24 pm on June 26, 2007)
was at newmarket last year when shirocco won on 1000 guineas day and by some lucky coincidence was stood next to a bookie who opened up for said horse at 15/8, generally 11/10 – evens elsewhere. having been planning to back the horse at shorter i was most pleased. not sure this was a mistake or intentional but it certainly didnt last long!
All off-course bookmakers have a ‘palpable error’ rule which protects them from paying out on what is an obvious mistake by themselves or a member of their staff. Punters should not expect to profit from these obvious mistakes. Generally, they don’t.
However, in the jungle of the betting ring, not many layers would try to hide behind the palpable error rule, because it would be considered ‘bad form’. If you chalk up a price, you had better be sure it is right and for the right horse, or you could be honour bound to lay a decent bet. You would probably be within your rights as a layer who has made a rick, to reduce the size of the bet asked for.
If you get up on the stool, you have to have your wits about you. You will usually pay heavily for any mistakes.<br>It’s rather like the Stock Exchange where your word becomes your bond. I’m talking about the rails and Tatts, by the way. On the course, shysters posing as bookmakers will either sling a deaf ear(ignore the punter who has spotted an error) or worse, tell them to **** off.
Actually I did get a wrong price once as the clueless Hill’s staff didn’t realise what was going on, but i suspect they would have to take the bet anyway.
It was a distances market and the book was 7/4, 7/4 and 15/5 :o. It was obviously a typo for 15/8 but thats the price that got written down and as it was on their screens i would of expected them to honour it. (Risky word when talking about Hills I know). Sadly it lost so we will never know.
Quote: from benbdb on 3:55 pm on June 26, 2007[br]was at newmarket last year when shirocco won on 1000 guineas day and by some lucky coincidence was stood next to a bookie who opened up for said horse at 15/8, generally 11/10 – evens elsewhere. having been planning to back the horse at shorter i was most pleased. not sure this was a mistake or intentional but it certainly didnt last long!<br>
He was 2/1 in the RP forecast that day and was available at that price earlier that morning. Bookie must have been asleep before he opened up.
The Shirocco race was one of the few times I’ve felt sorry for bookmakers. The 2000 Guineas was run on fast ground but an overnight shower turned the ground soft and massively in Shirocco’s favour. The layers were forced to lay prices that were issued on the proviso of fast ground and had to honour them.
I was at Leicester once when a bookie put a horse that should have been 7/4 up at 7/1.  I was looking for the first show as I fancied it.
Having seen the price I hesitated as it surprised me so much.
Whilst I paused the bookie next to him pointed out the error (I think he was just mis-reading his tissue price, despite the massive under-round he had given himself) and he quickly rubbed the price off just as I tried to back the beast!
Very much doubt he would have honoured it tbh, and I wouldn’t really have blamed him!
(Edited by Alderbrook at 12:57 am on June 27, 2007)
DJ,<br>I remember that weekend well was my first visit to a classic and was there both days, piled into shirocco on the computer as I was watching the rain come down and then having had a couple of winners had decided to back him down to evens. couldnt believe my luck!! I know what you mean bout the bookies, offcourse ones anyway, was bright sunshine all day on the saturday, never mind they make enough the rest of the time!!
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