8/18/2008 11:48 PM
SBR mailbag:
Q: SBR, I have gotten two copies of InsidersBettingDigest. It has betus as its sportsbook of the year and backs them financialy. They say "This year there is Only One
Sportsbook That We Are 100% Confident In Recommending. As proof of
our confidence in this sportsbook, we will be extending the Insiders’ Betting
Digest Guarantee and financially stand behind our pick, good for up to
$100,000 against non-payment due to lack of funds or business failure" Is this magazine for real? Thanks Dan
A: Hi Dan, Insiders Betting Digest has been giving betus that "award" for at least four years. The mag is actually owned by betus marketing. Before betus consolidated its sister books under betus.com, it had a Top 4 list of betus, SportsGambling, BetReduction and OmniSports. You were rightfully skeptical. betus is currently rated D+.
7/21/2008 11:43 PM
Player files $500,000 complaint against BetRoyal (SBR rating D-)
SBR Justin investigated the available facts of the complaint. In 2004 a group of players were invited by
BetRoyal management to trade prices and
betting odds at
BetRoyal against other
sportsbooks . The manager who had made the arrangement had taken a position with
betus (SBR rating D+) before this issue emerged.
BetRoyal management would often solicit sharp players to bet off action they did not want while offering them special low juice, or even no juice lines, to increase liquidity. For example, if the sportsbook felt it had too much exposure on one play or wanted to gamble on the other team, it would make the applicable vig pricing appealing for their players that were known to trade on the
sports betting market. The
sportsbook was aware that at least two individuals were placing wagers on this account. The deposited funds initially lost but the invested $85,000 in deposits eventually earned a balance of $586,000. Several days before
SBGglobal (SBR rating D-) completed its buyout of BetRoyal last year, the Royal website was taken off of the servers. When the site returned on the SBG platform, all winnings were removed from the account.
During the investigation, Royal, which was known for odd player arrangements and high risk bookmaking models, claimed that it had an agreement with the account holder that he would never take out winnings – only deposits. Royal claimed that the players were using some sort of hedging strategy where they would guarantee that they lost money at Royal, and won at other books. Royal offered no solid proof of this, often referring to the deal as something arranged independently by the manager that had moved on. The account holder denies there was any such agreement to “not withdraw winnings.” He rightfully points out that such an arrangement is not logical and describes a scenario where the account could only lose money. SBR told Royal that their explanation was not believable. The account holder believes BetRoyal erased the winnings in order to take $500,000 in liabilities off the books before selling to
SBG Global.
5/30/2008 03:01 PM
betus (SBR rating D) pays player full $18,300 after telling him in April that his winnings were confiscated. |
Original 5/7/2008 report |
Forum discussion
5/7/2008 02:12 PM
betus (SBR rating D+) informs player of $18,300 confiscation
The bettor made his first deposit of $1,000 in April which he lost.
betus contacted him to give him a $100 bonus which he also lost. The player made a second deposit of $1,000 on April 18th. He then made winning parlay wagers that brought his account to $18,300. He was told by management that the
betus credit card processor has informed them of a chargeback dispute with poker site, Ultimatebet, that it also services. The player claims
betus told him in order to get a payout he would have to settle the dispute with Ultimatebet. The player sent Ultimatebet $2,000 which cleared the credit card dispute and reopened the account in good standing. After resolving the issue with Ultimatebet,
betus told the player they are keeping his winnings.
Player: On 4/10 i made a deposit of 1000, on 4/18 i made a deposit of 1000. I made a 5 team parlay on 4/18 - mets,nationals,brewers, cardinals -1 1/2, and indians that paid off around 13k...on the same day i made a 2 team parlay, indians -1 1/2 and whitesox -1 1/2 that paid off around 3k...(a few smaller bets also but not significant) the next day i went to withdraw and they froze my account...when they unfroze it for an hour a week later when i cleared up everything i made a few bets and won another 1600 mostly on the laker-nuggets game 3...On April 29th I spoke to Dan and he told me he is "confiscating my account", "we dont want your business" and he will reverse the 2 charges that i made betus
11/16/2007 08:32 PM
SBR comments on upgrades for Sportsbetting.com, betusA and Linesmaker Ownership for these three Sportsbook.com-hosted books have agreed to make decisions independent of
Sportsbook.com (SBR rating D-) and in a manner that is deemed to be fair to users. Each book has addressed old complaints and states that it is committed to addressing future issues. These sportsbooks offer email service that by-pass the Sportsbook.com customer service center. Sportsbook.com has allowed a long list of player complaints to build. The list includes verified reports of outright theft and cheating on individual bets. SBR will publish a detailed report of offenses once all data is gathered and discussions on remaining issues have concluded. SportsBetting and Linesmaker have been upgraded from D+ to C-,
betusA from C- to C. Privately owned Sportsbook.com-hosted sportsbooks that would like to clarify their position and address pending issues should
contact SBR.
Note: All sportsbook.com-serviced books rely on the operation for its financial processing. The group was unable to pay some non-U.S. players for over five months earlier in 2007.
10/20/2007 11:00 AM
Jazette Enterprises Ltd-hosted sportsbooks downgraded from D+ to D- with exception of
betusA (SBR rating C-) and
Sportsbetting.com (SBR rating D+). Sportsbooks in this group that would like to discuss their rating may call 830-515-4122 or contact SBR
by email.
10/19/2007 01:23 PM
Sportsbetting.com (SBR rating D+) joins betusA (SBR rating C-) in stating that it will not confiscate winnings from correlated parlays, which was the original action taken by service provider,
Sportsbook.com's (SBR rating D+) operation management. Any players that have found their SportsBetting.com account to be debited should contact SBR or
Sportsbetting.com.
betusA has added the following rule to address the lack of software control over correlated parlays. Other
Sportsbook.com sister sites are encouraged to add similar language and warn players via email that this new stipulation exists.
Correlated parlay betting: The results of certain events can be considered to be correlated. For example, in college football betting on a heavy underdog (eg 35 point underdog) and the under in the game is statistically correlated. If players consistently bet correlated parlays then management reserves the right to regrade wagers. Wagers will be split so that half the stake will go on the pointspread and half on the under in the game. This rule applies from 19 October 2007. This will only apply to those regularly staking $50 or more on parlays and is intended only to limit professional bettors who consistently bet correlated parlays.
SBR Rules Monitor: betusA
SBR continues to discuss this matter with Sportsbook.com management with little progress. Sportsbook.com has agreed to credit players for losing correlated parlays since September 1st. This is of little consolation for most victims because only winning account holders were robbed during a time period when Sportsbook.com noticed players beating the book for large sums. Players do not have the option to recover losses from periods prior when they may have sustained a losing run. The offer by Sportsbook.com, although possibly reducing the amount stolen, further illustrates why the actions are unjust.
10/16/2007 02:32 PM
betusA (SBR rating D+), a Sportsbook.com serviced book, agrees to pay on all voided same-game (correlated) winning parlays.
betusA ownership has often reversed unfair decisions by its service provider on issues ranging from incorrect bet grading to bonus and wagering disputes. Players whose
betusA balances were debited should contact
SBR or
betusA ownership by email. SBR is still communicating with
Sportsbook.com regarding the decision to confiscate these winnings across all of the
sites under its management.
9/2/2007 11:55 PM
SBR’s Sports Betting Rules Monitor:Coral (SBR rating A-) adds notice that it will now grade all cricket bets that it has not offered a price for the tie or draw as no-action (voided wager).
GamblersPalace (SBR rating C) &
Skytower (SBR rating C) states that it reserves the right to require users to leave bonus and deposited funds in the account for 30 days before withdrawing.
BetOnline (SBR rating A-) adds statement regarding the voiding of winnings from free-play wagers where the bettor bets on both sides of the same game.
IASbet (SBR rating B) revamps rules pages. IAS players are advised to review this page
here for information relevant to his or her betting habits.
InstantActionSports (SBR rating C-) changes house limits.
betusA (SBR rating D+) changed rules on season win totals for NCAAF from 11 regular season games to 12 regular season games. Adds rule for baseball props regarding if a game is suspended and completed on a different day. Added new rules for hockey shootouts.
8/25/2007 12:59 PM
betus (SBR rating D+) discount vigorish sportsbook,
BetReduction (SBR rating D) closes. All accounts moved to
betus.com.
7/30/2007 01:28 PM
Scam sportsbook WorldWager (SBR rating F-) off-line for good? The sportsbook's website wordwager.com was parked last week. SBR has received many complaints of fraudulent activity from World Wager players over the past four years including deleted winning bets, creating new rules to void winnings, and simply refusing to pay part or all of player withdrawals. WorldWager solidified its scam status in 2004 when SBR questioned the book about deleting months of betting history and lowering account balances. WorldWager's owner responded:
"If the lines posted by worldwager.com are off by more than 1.5 points on any point spread sport or posted incorrectly (reversed), management is entitled to delete any wagers placed on the wrong lines. In any money line sport, if the lines are off by more than 20 cents, management is entitled to delete any wagers placed on the wrong lines."
WorldWager spawned the creation of stiff sportsbook
BetEmpire which was originally financed by
betus (SBR rating D).
BetEmpire (SBR rating F), management said it left WorldWager due to dishonest business practices.
7/26/2007 07:44 PM
betus (SBR rating D) cancels winning wager day after event
The player wagered on the Copa America quarterfinals match between Brazil and Uruguay and was initially credited with a win. The next day the bet was canceled due to being a "bad line."
SBR will request that
betus honor the wager at what it deems to be fair odds. Voiding winning wagers placed on bad lines puts the player in a situation where his funds are risked without the possibility of a return.
7/17/2007 10:20 PM
Three weeks after the
Sportsbook.com (SBR rating D+) Group has been notified of wager grading errors by SBR and players, wagers remain graded incorrectly.
Sportsbook.com and sister books voided winning baseball bets when they received incorrect information regarding a change in starting pitchers. Players continuously complain that the sportsbook has not made the effort to look into the wagering dispute.
betusA (SBR rating D+) appears to be the only exception. Ownership has manually credited players whose wagers were graded wrong by their service provider.
7/10/2007 07:38 PM
betus (SBR rating D) resolves remaining withdrawal complaints
The sportsbook has addressed all pending slow-pay complaints, which at last count included 49 players. Recently paid players, some who have waited over three months, are currently testing
betus.com with subsequent requests.
betus credits progress in acquiring processor resources for the wave of successful withdrawals.
6/27/2007 08:02 PM
Sportsbook.com (SBR rating D+) and sister books such as
betusA (SBR rating D+) fail to correct grading errors. The Sportsbook.com Group erroneously
voided winning baseball bets in two instances claiming they received information that there were pitching changes. In both cases the listed pitchers did start the game. SBR will escalate the complaints to management. Players who had a listed baseball bet cancelled are invited to contact SBR. Sportsbook.com players who had listed money line bets on the Cardinals on June 19th or 26th graded as a loss are also asked to
provide SBR with wager details.
6/25/2007 11:44 AM
Kahnawake Gaming Commission Terminates betus Permit
On June 22 the KGC officially announced that it is no longer allowing betus.com to operate within its jurisdiction.
KGC: The Kahnawáke Gaming Commission (“KGC”) wishes to advise that, effective May 31, 2007, Comercial L.T. Baroda (operating as betus.com) no longer holds a KGC permit and is not authorized to carry on its operations within or from the Mohawk Territory of Kahnawáke.
In December SBR reported that betus would likely have to relocate because the Kahnawake Gaming Commission changed its policies making it a violation to discuss player accounts and wagering over the phone. betus.com is currently scattered throughout Montreal, Canada, Panama City, Panama and San Jose, Costa Rica. betus is trying to obtain a license so it can establish a home office in Panama.
6/13/2007 01:17 PM
betus (SBR rating D+) reportedly hiring clerks for new Panama office. betus is said to be operating under the name BLUM Management Services which is located in Via España in the Boston Building. BLUM Mgt. is hiring casino and wagering clerks for $3.50 per hour. It remains unclear if the Panamanian government will allow betus to build its business there or if betus is operating under the license of an established online casino. betus has already moved its servers to Panama. Clerks form betus' Canada office have recently cited an office move as reason for withdrawal delays.
5/4/2007 07:29 PM
betus (SBR rating D) payout update
betus.com complaints continue to accumulate. Players are frustrated by lack of communication and by slow-pay excuses.
betus has told many bettors that their bank account details, which have been used successfully in the past, are incorrect. SBR has verified that multiple withdrawal requests have been fulfilled and has observed an average wait time of six weeks with some players waiting two months.
SBRforum: betus withdrawal update
4/15/2007 11:43 PM
betus (SBR rating D) players waiting two months for payment
betus payout complaints are similar to the
Sportsbook.com (SBR rating D+) withdrawal issues on a much smaller scale. SBR has received 29
betus withdrawal complaints since mid-February of which four have been resolved.
betus appears to be attempting to buy time by telling the majority of these individuals that they have entered incorrect banking details and must resubmit their payout request. Two others reported that their bonus roll-over requirement has been increased after initially having been met.
betus tells SBR that they, like many sportsbooks, are experiencing issues with third party processors. The book states that many of these issues have been addressed and users who have been waiting nearly two months should receive funds shortly. SBR will continue to monitor payouts from the
betus family (D rated
SportsGambling,
Omni,
betus and
BetReduction) of books.
4/12/2007 06:23 PM
3/28/2007 08:53 PM
Fifteen
betus (SBR rating D) players complain of payout delays; many waiting over one month for withdrawals. The sportsbook has blamed "misprocessed" payouts and processing difficulties but has left most players without a timeframe for when they can expect their funds. Despite the surge in
betus withdrawal complaints, SBR has confirmed that a few players have received a recent payment.
betus has recently moved its servers from Canada to Panama and is rumored to be attempting to find a way to move its entire operation to Panama. Sources in the country suggest the only way the book would be authorized to operate in Panama would be if it joined a preexisting gaming company.
1/5/2007 03:32 PM
Fourth
betus (SBR rating D) player complains of stalled withdrawal after the book’s unannounced 12 day "holiday" withdrawal freeze. The no-payout period spanned from December 22nd to January 2nd. SBR has confirmed that some players who waited have been paid after 1/2/07. Those forced to continue to wait have been told that their withdrawal "has not yet been authorized by management."
Player: I have been waiting for only 1100 dollars payout since December 28, 2006. I have been told by betus that they are still waiting for top management to authorize the payout. I was told that it will be paid out on January 3rd early in the morning. Then, I was told it will be mailed out Fedex on the fourth. Today, I was told it should be taken care of today or most likely by next week. This is so scary. Is there anything that I can do or is betus just a scam. I hope all other people realize how horrible betus is.
1/4/2007 08:24 PM
betus (SBR rating D) casino player waiting for $30,000 since 12/8/06.
betus customer service states that the first payment of $10,000 was lost by FedEx and subsequent withdrawal requests must be approved by top management who hasn’t been present for over two weeks. The bettor’s last five online payout request have been canceled.
Request Date Amount Method Status
Dec 18, 2006 01:20 PM $5,000.00 FedEx Cancelled (As per management)
Dec 16, 2006 01:14 PM $4,975.00 FedEx Cancelled (As per management)
Dec 15, 2006 09:52 PM $5,000.00 FedEx Cancelled (As per management)
Dec 14, 2006 05:51 AM $4,975.00 FedEx Cancelled (As per management)
Dec 11, 2006 03:42 AM $5,000.00 FedEx Cancelled (As per management)
12/26/2006 04:38 PM
betus (SBR rating D) not processing withdrawals until January 3, 2007 After numerous player complaints to SBR, the sportsbook has confirmed they have told clients that they can not receive payment until 1/3/07. The book blamed the challenges of banking during the holidays and the majoirty of it’s management being away on vacation.
betus is not alerting new sign-ups of this no-withdrawal 13 day period that began on December 22nd.
12/23/2006 01:09 PM
Sportsbook Slow-pay Updates: Some
Pointbet (SBR rating D) slow-paid clients
report recieving five figure payouts. This week’s
betus (SBR rating D) and
BetOnUSA (SBR rating D) withdrawals issues resolved. FutureBet’s
SpyCasino.biz (SBR rating D-) pays owed players.
12/17/2006 11:39 PM
betus (SBR rating D) players complain of one week wait for withdrawal. The
sportsbook tells SBR that they are "experiencing delays" on
eCheck payouts and are now offering to refund betting accounts at the player’s request.
betus also states that they expect overdue EFT withdrawals to reach bank accounts by Tuesday. Players may wish to request payment by
Neteller.
Player: They told me it was processed on monday and as of friday morning nothing is pending to my checking account. I was frightenened to see their rating on your site. I’m new to online gaming and need your assistance. I repeated the information to the betus customer service rep so I know theirs no problem with my banking information.
12/1/2006 02:00 PM
Kahnawake Gaming Commission no longer permitting licensees to take phone wagers. The KGC’s amendments primarily effect
betus (SBR rating D) which opened its Canadian office to serve as an inbound call center that would take wagers. The sportsbook may close this office after letting over 100 staff members go.
SportsInteraction (SBR rating C-) says that the Commission will soon amend the Regulation Agreement again, to simply prohibit wagering by phone.
Sports Interaction plans to offer positions to former
betus clerks.
Kahnawake’s new Internet-only "Interactive Gaming Regulations"
(a) no licence holder or authorized client provider, including their respective members, shareholders, directors, officers, employees (contractual or otherwise) and agents are permitted to conduct the following activities by way of voice communication with a player, through any device or means:
i. receiving or accepting a bet or wager;
ii. receiving or accepting instructions of any kind in relation to funds held in, or to be deposited to, the player’s account;
iii. providing odds, lines or any other information related to a sporting or other event
10/17/2006 08:24 PM
betus (SBR rating D) credits player for teaser loss after
scam attempt fails. Thanks to SBR readers who have contacted
betus and
betus promoters to voice their disfavor.
"Dear Mr. Dozer, They gave me the other $100 and i cashed it out immediately. They originally gave me a $100 free bet which I used some of, and so I was actually fair about it when they asked me what it would take to end it all. I would like to thank you for your help and I really appreciate it. Please don’t get confused with them giving back my cash to them being legit however. The only reason they gave me back my money is because of your help and I was smarter than them in catching there lies and using those lies against them."
10/12/2006 09:16 PM
Posters across internet gambling forums discuss
betus (SBR rating D) teaser rule change scam.
TheRxat some places any tie gives you a push for the teaser even if the other team loses. It is very important to read the rules at each book, except it seems betus since they change the rules as they go. - Tomorrow’s Newspaper
Eye On GamblingThis is just downright absurd - a sportsbook that changes their rules to stiff a player out of ONE bet. - sean1
Offshore Gambers Digest
how much is the teaser for? Unless it is like a $10,000 teaser, the negative publicity generated from trying to fight this out is not worth it. and there were places that graded a loss + push as a push. Not sure if any do anymore. If the screenshot is legit, player is 100% right. - drunkguy
SBRforum
What a bunch of bull!!! The written rules clearly say it should be a push - Illusion
10/9/2006 10:25 AM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: SBR speaks with
betus (SBR rating D) management who acknowledges editing the site’s rules after player requested a balance credit.
betus chose to reference a contradicting rule as justification for deducting funds from user’s account and says they will not be returning the player’s money.
10/5/2006 07:54 PM
betus (SBR rating D) changes website’s teaser rules after player requests credit On Sunday, the bettor placed a 2-team teaser.
betus teaser rule #4 dictated that his stake should be returned to him because one of the teaser legs was a push.
"4) A push or tie in any 2-team regular teaser will result in a push for the whole teaser. Also, any portion of a 2-team teaser is graded No Action, the entire teaser will be graded No Action."The player spoke with a manager who read a different version of rule #4 which stated the entire teaser would be graded a loss if one of the teaser legs had lost.
Player: I explained to Eric that "Unless the other team is graded as a loss" was not there earlier, and i had proof of this with a screenshot, but he said the reason must be that people in my area aren’t seeing the complete rule and that is why it isn’t showing up. That was a lie
Player screenshot &
Updated rules page
6/9/2006 04:13 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: betus (SBR rating D) takes imposter website playdsi.com off-line. The website copied a version of the real
Diamond Sportsbook (SBR rating A) which uses the url 2betdsi.com. SBR is optimistic that this is a sign the company is moving in a positive and more professional direction. New COO, Kevin King is addressing the final payout complaint from an SBR reader owed $14,000.
5/17/2006 01:59 PM
betus (SBR rating D) management agrees to take copy-cat site, PlayDSI.com off-line. PlayDSI
impersonates A- rated
Diamond Sportsbook International (2betdsi.com). The website was tailor made to look like the real
DSI, which has since removed its diamond graphic and now lists the brand name simply as, Diamond Sportsbook.
betus management tells SBR that this is what is left from previous marketing teams and will be removed shortly. Last year the
betus marketing department removed blog-style websites that linked words such as "
Bill Dozer" and "
SportsbookReview" to the sportsbook’s website.
4/29/2006 01:19 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: betusA(SBR rating B) agrees to pay player for winning wagers totaling $1759.09.
4/29/2006 09:43 AM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: betusA(SBR rating B) cancels client’s pending wagers after closing his account due to ’non-recreational’ play.
betusA had sent the player an email on 4/27 at 6AM, stating that any wagers placed after that point would be cancelled. The player continued to have full access to his account and made wagers minutes before the start of the mid-day baseball games, claiming he did not check his email. The wagers were cancelled after the games were already in progress. SBR expects
betusA to honor wagers confirmed by its system.
4/16/2006 08:34 PM
SBR sportsbook tours: SBR tours
betus(SBR rating D) Costa Rica offices. The sportsbook is located on the third floor of building 2 of Oficentro La Sabana in San Jose, Costa Rica.
View photos here.
betus’ wagering department operates out of Montreal Canada.
4/13/2006 06:56 PM
SBR Bill Dozer meets with betus(SBR rating D) COO Kevin King Mr. King has agreed to resolve two player complaints, paying one player $1500 owed from an NFL loss rebate as well as a 2nd player who saw his roll-over requirement double from 5 to 10 times. Mr King states that the book will no longer change wagering requirements and will honor the listed policies and procedures.
4/8/2006 11:27 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: betus downgraded from D+ to D as bettors continue to file complaints. Management has not addressed
pending issues or its policies toward winning clients as promised. Players have also voiced their displeasure with customer service and misleading bonus offers.
3/31/2006 09:34 AM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: BetUK Acquires BetEuro (SBR rating A-). All BetEuro accounts have been transferred to BetUK. BetUK is part of Online Management Services which is also the parent company for
Gambling.net(SBR rating B-) and
betusA(SBR rating B). BetUK targets the European market but accepts US players. The company’s owner, Bill Nevin, tells SBR they will specialize in soccer and in-game wagering. The sportsbook uses Finsoft software under the Sportingbet license.
3/30/2006 11:18 AM
betus new COO Kevin King to discuss payout complaints with Bill Dozer. Management has assured SBR that remaining complaints will be addressed before the end of the week. Pending issues include a free-play
winnings confiscation and a failure to honor
NFL losses rebate. Mr. King is also expected to resume discussions regarding an archived $8,000 balance confiscation complaint.
3/28/2006 12:10 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: betus(SBR rating D+) Bonus Scams Worsen A bettor won $1575 from his free-play but was informed he will not have the ability to redeem his winnings per the listed terms. The player was told he must forfeit his winnings or agree to double his roll-over from 5x to 10x with a wagering limit of only $50. The player would be forced to give the book an additional $18,125 in action and make over 456 fifty dollar additional wagers.
3/25/2006 11:40 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: betus (SBR rating D+) refuses to honor bonus after six time roll-over was completed. The player has withdrawn his account balance less $1,550, which was the result of his free-play winning wagers.
3/24/2006 12:20 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: betus Bait N’ Switch Bonus Scam The player completed his six time roll-over on a 50% free-play bonus and asked for a payout.
betus tells the player that he is classified as a professional bettor and must wager his deposit + bonus amount an additional six times. The player states that he is in need of his funds and must give up the earned funds if the book will not honor its listed terms. The new stipulations would require the account holder to wager as much as $25,000 (
betus uses the smaller of the risk/win amount to calculate bonuses) prior to being allowed to withdraw. The player was awarded the bonus funds for reloading his account.
This complaint was submitted three days after SBR received a similar complaint from
betus sister book,
Omni Sports(SBR rating D+).
3/22/2006 08:45 AM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: Omni Sportsbook(SBR rating D+) reverses decision to add wagering requirements to bettor’s winnings before processing additional payouts. This was a common complaint from
betus and Omni clients in years past. Forcing the player to risk his/her funds is a form of theft.
3/8/2006 04:25 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: betus(SBR rating D+) Bait and Switch Bonus? Bettor denied NFL loss rebate. The player was promised the 10% rebate throughout the football season as he lost $15,000, earning a $1500 free-play. After the NFL season,
betus confirmed that the player had earned the bonus and assured him that future account activity would not affect his NFL rebate which would be credited before the end of February. The bettor reloaded his account and went on to to win back most of the amount lost during the NFL season. As a result,
betus closed the betting account, denied the free-play earnings and deleted 25,000 in bonus points which could be redeemed for a free-play.
Player: "I SPECIFICALLY ASKED IF I LOSE MORE THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE MONTH IF WOULD I GET MORE CASH BACK AND HE SAID NO -- IT DOESNT MATTER WHETHER YOU WIN OR LOSE NOW, ALL THAT MATTERS IS WHAT YOUR ACCOUNT BALANCE WAS RIGHT AFTER SUPERBOWL. Just to confirm that, I called two different clerks the next day and asked if I were to go on a win streak in the days and weeks after the superbowl, if that would affect my gamblers assurance and they assured me that it would not."
12/5/2005 03:16 PM
betusA(SBR rating B-) earns 2nd upgrade in two months. The sportsbook’s management continues to make decisions independant of their service provider, Sportingbet Plc, and assures SBR that they will maintain their player-friendly policies. B- is currently the highest rating that a Sportingbet/World Gaming sportsbook holds.
11/20/2005 11:21 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: betusA (SBR rating C+) becomes first book to reverse managing/hosting company, Sportingbet’s decision to unjustly confiscate player funds. SBR has received many complaints from Sportingbet Plc serviced sites since the
11/4/2005 report. Each Sportingbet site who has an independent general manager has the opportunity to address the situation before receiving
Blacklist status.
11/17/2005 11:40 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: betus (SBR rating D-) sends $500 check to player owed since 2004.
11/2/2005 03:34 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: Third
betus (SBR rating D-) player comes forward with five figure no-pay claim. In the past 6 months
betus has paid out over $25,000 to two players who have waited years for their winnings. This player hopes for a similar resolution to his $14,668 complaint which dates back to the fall of 2002.
10/21/2005 11:36 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: betusA upgraded to C+ after distinguishing itself from the Sportingbet Plc family, to which it belongs.
betusA’s ownership has proven that it has the ability to act independently of its sister books like
PlayersOnly and
Sportsbook.com (SBR rating C). The book employs its own customer service staff for advanced player inquiries and management has made decisions on wager grading that have differed from its larger sister books. Recently
betusA paid players who bet Tiger Woods to win the British Open, while players who wagered with the flagship SBT Plc books saw their winning wagers canceled.
betusA clients still must deal with the same flawed accounting department that is sometimes responsible for payout delays.
10/3/2005 11:46 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: Player and
betus (SBR rating D-) management agree to settlement arrangement on $25,000 unpaid balance. The final draft of the deal’s terms is slated to reach SBR tomorrow. This three year old case was last referenced
on 8/18/05.
9/11/2005 11:56 AM
Beware of betus (SBR rating D-) Marketing SCAM betus attempting to use the reputation of SBR
Recommended sportsbook
Diamond Sports International / DSI (SBR rating A-) to trick new players into joining their operation. PlayDSI.com is a site owned and operated by the
betus Group, also known as Little Nasa, which is made to look like the original Diamond Sportsbook complete with a stolen DSI logo and graphics. The phone number on the
DSI-ripoff site leads players to the
betus call center.
9/1/2005 10:57 AM
Players confused by magazine scam that pretends to review the “Top Sportsbooks” and “guarantee player funds”. Both the publication and the listed sportsbooks are from the betus (SBR rating D-) family of sites."I recently received a magazine in the mail called INSIDERS BETTING DIGEST.COM. It has a list of sportsbooks and poker sites they claim that are the best. I hope they check your site before they try their sites because you have rated all their sportsbooks D- and F+. I called one of there top picks because they claim to have the best bonuses, and the person I talked to was trying very hard to have me sign up right then, thats when I knew something wasn’t right. So I looked up all the sites they have listed and there all D- and F+. Maybe you can warn people about this magazine. Thank you"Read more about these phony review publications.
8/18/2005 11:48 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: betus (SBR rating D-) unwilling to clear $25,000 debt to player. The sportsbook agreed to discuss two claims from players who were cheated out of their funds. These discussions resulted in one player receiving a five figure balance (reported on 6/30/05) and created hope for a 2nd player, whose dispute dates back three years.
betus’ argument was that this case was mediated by The Shrink, formerly of
TheRX, and that the player had agreed to the result of mediation. The player described a hostage situation where he was forced to agree to a deal in order to receive what was almost 2/3rds of his balance. SBR has contacted The Shrink who stated “
[I] thought that I got the max for player that I could” and went on to say that the player deserved the remainder of his funds. SBR has reviewed this case in detail and agrees that
betus clearly owes the player the remainder of the account balance, totaling $25,000.
7/21/2005 04:02 AM
Players reporting getting advertisements from scams attempting to fool players into thinking they are from SBR. Rule 1) This site, the real SBR, has never sent an email advertisement.
Rule 2) Look for these scams to only recommend one book, their own of course, or books in their family.
Here is partial list of scam sportsbook review type sites:
BetOnSports’s scam review site =
www.sportsbookaudit.com ( notice any similarities to the real SBR?)
BetRoyal’s scam review site =
www.sportsbookreview.net (familiar website address)
betus’s scam review site =
www.bestsportsbookreview.com (20+ sites involed in this scam network)
ESB’s scam watchdog site =
www.LVSN.com
Sites are supposedly run by so-called affiliates or advertisers as a cover-up. In fact, they are either run directly by the book or put a fake affiliate between them. Many also give hosting and ad budgets as well as their email lists further proving their ownership or that they approve and support the scams. BetOnSports reportedly directly buys radio advertising for their scam site.
6/30/2005 09:25 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: betus (SBR rating F+) resolves four year old payout dispute. betus mangement and player amicably agree upon five figure settlement. SBR appreciates the efforts of newly acquired manager Mike Foreman. Mike states that the company is willing to address any unresolved complaints from the book’s past. Players with a
betus complaint or feedback are encouraged to write to
Assistance@SportsbookReview.com
5/13/2005 01:21 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: Player receives $11,000 bank wire from
betusA (SBR rating C-). The payout arrives 37 days after initially requested.
5/9/2005 07:53 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: betusA (SBR rating C-) tells player they lost his $11,000 bank wire transfer. The player has been waiting over one month for this withdrawal and continues to wait as the book attempts to "trace" these funds. SBR to seek update on progress from management.
3/1/2005 08:33 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: BetEmpire (SBR rating F+) management tells SBR that all slow-paid players have been paid in full. The new sportsbook blames an early change in payment processors for the delay. SBR is encouraging players with complaints or positive feedback to write to assistance@sportsbookreview.com. The majority of BetEmpire is owned by
betus (SBR rating F+).
2/1/2005 11:49 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: No-pay complaints continue to come from players at scam sportsbooks. BetGateway (SBR rating F) is hoping to stay afloat with a profitable Super Bowl. More players are reporting denied withdrawal requests yet the book continues to offer large bonuses on new deposits. New
BetEmpire (SBR rating F-) and sister book
WorldWager (SBR rating F-) complaints emerge. Management is attempting to void out winnings on multiple large account balances. They claim that if the betting odds had changed soon after a bet was placed it was the sportsbook’s error and a "bad line" which nullifies the wager. The book is applying this made-up rule to months of graded wagers. One player did report reaching a settlement with WorldWager and has received payment.
Update 2/26/05: BetEmpire management tells SBR that they are no longer involved with WorldWager and that BetEmpire is a seperate operation. BetEmpire has its own mangement team in place but is under the
betus (SBR rating F+) brand.
10/8/2004 03:38 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: betus (SBR rating F+), also known as Little Nasa, hires new manager Mike F.
betus has been the source of many player complaints in the past. Mike aims to improve
betus and its poor reputation. Players who previously filed
betus complaints should again contact Bill Dozer at
assistance@sportbookreview.com.
10/2/2004 04:41 PM
SBR mailbag: This week’s slow-pay complaints come from players with
BetCSI (SBR rating F-),
betus (SBR rating F+). Scam outfit,
English Sports Betting (SBR rating F-) clients continue to supply multiple no-pay complaints.
Sportsbook.com (SBR rating C) player reports his account is locked due to “random account audit”. Three of the many players owed by
Internet1x2 (SBR rating F-) have reported payment in full via bank wire. SBR will continue to pursue and monitor payouts for those seeking withdrawals from Internet1x2.
8/31/2004 09:02 AM
SBR mailbag recent complaints: Player reports 2 month no-pay from
betus (SBR rating F+). Ewinner (SBR rating D-) source of multiple slow-pay complaints.
SportsInteraction (SBR rating D) receives multiple complaints regarding slow-pay and customer service. Three
Sportsbook.com (SBR rating C-) customers report they are still waiting nearly 2 months for bank wires. Another
Internet1x2 (SBR rating F-) victim reports 9 month no-pay.
Betsrus (not rated) cold calling players offering 75% bonuses. Players should be cautious of unknown books calling-for-cash.
2/10/2004 12:00 AM
betus (SBR rating F+) Player complains he can't not get paid from this notorious stiff book
7/29/2003 12:06 PM
BoDog, BetOnSports,
betus using players money to fund expensive mass media buys starting 8/18
3/18/2003 04:52 PM
Player horror stories continue at betus.Com - betus.Com principal is now using the identity of Sportsbook Review principal - Players should immediately close all accounts associated with NASA (betus.com) and Omni Sports - Long history of scam complaints
7/7/2008 09:57 PM
betusA upgraded from C+ to B-
11/16/2007 08:26 PM
betusA upgraded from C to C+
10/23/2007 11:23 AM
betusA raised from C- to C
10/17/2007 01:56 AM
betusA upgraded from D+ to C-
8/25/2007 01:13 PM
betus, Omni & SportsGambling raised from D to D+
4/12/2007 09:02 PM
betusA downgraded from C to D+ 
3/12/2007 07:44 PM
betusA downgraded from C+ to C
10/27/2006 12:27 AM
betusA upgraded from C to C+
10/11/2006 10:15 PM
Gambling.net and
betusA downgraded from B- to C
8/31/2006 04:47 PM
betusA downgraded from B to B-
4/9/2006 02:05 AM
betus Group downgraded from D+ to D
3/31/2006 10:10 AM
BetUK - SBR initiates rating at B, Gambling.net upgraded from C to B-,
betusA upgraded from B- to B
1/17/2006 08:49 PM
betus upgraded from D- to D+
12/4/2005 04:23 PM
betusA upgraded from C+ to B-
10/22/2005 12:34 AM
betusA upgraded from C- to C+
7/2/2005 06:36 AM
betus upgraded from F+ to D-
12/12/2002 10:59 AM
betus.Com (Little NASA) - Situation critical - Opinion of Sportsbook Review on
betus.Com
7/24/2002 03:34 PM
Little NASA-
betus.com - Downgraded BACK to the RUN! List - Sportsbook Review errors in removing NASA off the scam list. Several players are reporting a cheat scam by Little NASA
7/14/2002 03:34 PM
Little NASA-
betus.com Upgraded to the Black List-A book with risk but not enough to justify RUN List rating