BY Kevin Mapasure
Gaming entity AfricaBet is at odds with one of its “regular” punters who has dragged the betting company to court demanding his “winnings” which he alleges have not been paid despite him predicting the correct outcome on horse races late last year.
The plaintiff, Julio Nydam has taken AfricaBet to the magistrates court claiming his winnings amounting to US$6 075 from two separate tickets as well as interest calculated from the day he “won” the bets and costs related to the court case.
AfricaBet has since filed a notice to defend.
According to court papers, Nydam claims to have placed $150 on two separate tickets with the total winnings on one amounting to US$2 535, while the other had US$3 540.
He alleges that the company has refused to pay him his dues, prompting him to approach the court for reprieve where he is represented by Zuze Law practitioners.
Part of Nydam’s submissions read: “The plaintiff (Nydam) and the defendant entered into a valid binding contract on the 28th of December 2018, whereof the defendant (AfricaBet) through an advert opened up an offer for betting on a horse race that was held at the Jabel Ali Course, namely Race 4. The plaintiff accepted the offer by placing two bets worth US$150 each at the defendant’s Africa Bet Keg branch situated at Harare Sports Club. The defendant issued two tickets (ticket numbers supplied).
It was a term of the contract that if the plaintiff lost the bet, the defendant would forfeit the money which the plaintiff had placed on the bet and in turn if the plaintiff won, the defendant was obliged to pay the plaintiff his winnings based on the dividends published by the defendant.
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After Race 4 at the Jabel Race Course, the plaintiff won his bet and the defendant declared dividends on the winning horses. Based on the defendant’s published dividends, the plaintiff’s ticket won with a dividend value of US$16,90 for every US$1 that had been placed on the bet. The total winnings on the ticket amounted to US$2 535.
For the other ticket the plaintiff won US$3 540 and the total aggregate value amounted to $6 075. Nydam claims to have made numerous efforts to get paid his winnings without success.
The defendant has financially prejudiced the plaintiff, not only in failing to pay him out his winnings, but has also held on to the money that the plaintiff used in placing his bets, his lawyers argue.
According to a letter written by the plaintiff’s lawyers to the defendant’s lawyers, AfricaBet is alleged to have offered to pay Nydam US$699,80 for one ticket and US$730,60 for the other, an offer spurned by Nydam.
