Ladbrokes Pay Out Irish Punter's Winning Double

In April 2024, stable lad Dylan Phelan placed a €30 each-way double on two horses (Rocky Diamond and Diamond Nora) he had previously worked with under trainer Declan Queally.

He backed the runners at 80/1 and 125/1 respectively, and thanks to them winning, he secured an impressive €320,000 windfall at Ladbrokes. However, problems arose when Ladbrokes refused to pay out, citing an investigation in conjunction with the Irish Horse Racing Board (IHRB) over the betting patterns for the race, which saw the respective selections shorten to 16/1 and 22/1, plus the fact that neither runner had won previously.

Why this investigation has taken so long and is still ongoing is a mystery, but there is some good news at least!

We fast-forward to the present day, and the good news is that Dylan will get his winnings! Seemingly, the threat of legal action has given the bookmaker a gentle nudge in the right direction.

However, it is a bittersweet victory for Dylan Phelan. who will only receive €100,000 of the €320,000 he won, which is the maximum winnings a punter can earn when placing a bet in a betting shop.

Ladbrokes themselves released a statement, which didn't help clarify the situation, stating:

"We have now discussed this matter with the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board in order to seek a resolution as quickly as possible," Ladbrokes said in a statement.

"Although the IHRB is unable to provide details of the investigation, or its likely duration, we are satisfied that it is appropriate to proceed with payment of the relevant bets in accordance to terms and conditions."

The whole affair is quite ugly, but in reality, we must take lessons from this to learn and improve on both sides of the relationship between bookmaker and punter.

• Ladbrokes and other bookmakers must improve transparency on potentially unusual betting activity. It not only rebuilds trust but also negates the general perception that bookies can do what they wish without recourse.

• Punters need to improve their knowledge and better understand the Terms & Conditions that apply to bets, regardless of placing a bet online or in person.

• Racing Authorities must speed up investigations into alleged unusual betting activity. There is no logical reason for the ongoing investigation to continue after a year.