In response to Nelson Kipkogei Melly’s claims of unpaid winnings amounting to Sh 477,590, sports betting firm Betika issued a formal response addressing the matter. This dispute stems from Mr. Melly’s allegations that the company had failed to award him his rightful winnings.
The Sequence of Events
Betika, in a letter to Mr. Melly’s legal representatives, acknowledged that he had indeed won Sh 477,590 through virtual bets placed on October 16, 2023. These winnings were promptly credited to his Betika wallet, as per their standard procedures.
However, Betika brought attention to Mr. Melly’s subsequent actions on their online betting platform, which were at the heart of the controversy.
According to the betting company, Mr. Melly had engaged the auto-play feature after his initial win, selecting 20 rounds with a stake of Sh 20,000 for each round in the game Aviator. This resulted in a cumulative stake of Sh 400,000.
Addressing the Use of the Auto-Play Feature
It’s essential to note that auto-play is a feature that can only be activated by the customer, allowing them to specify the number of rounds and the amount they wish to stake. Furthermore, it includes a stop-loss feature designed to promote responsible gambling by allowing players to set limits for potential losses.
“In this case,” Betika stated, “at 9:01 am, following the auto-play rounds, your client withdrew Sh 70,000, and at 9:03, he withdrew an additional Sh 7,500 from his Betika wallet to his Mpesa account.
These actions indicate that your client, an experienced bettor, was well aware of the game mechanics, including the auto-play feature. Moreover, his withdrawal of funds demonstrated his awareness of his account activity and balance.”
Betika, therefore, firmly upheld its stance that Mr. Melly had utilized all his winnings, as clearly demonstrated in his account activity, leaving no additional winnings due to him. The company claimed that this position was conveyed to Mr. Melly during a phone call from their customer care team on October 16, 2023, despite his reluctance to accept the outcome.
Prior Legal Disputes with Betika
The letter from Betika concluded by noting that the company would safeguard its legal rights in this matter, and any legal action initiated by Mr. Melly would be vigorously defended, with potential costs and other associated expenses to be borne by him.
This dispute is not the first instance in which Betika has found itself entangled in legal matters related to bet winnings. In a similar case in August 2023, Mr. David Juma emerged victorious when Betika was compelled by court order to award him his Sh 500,000 jackpot winnings.
It had been initially contested by Betika on the grounds that Mr. Juma had correctly predicted seven out of eight matches, disqualifying him from the winnings. However, Mr. Juma successfully demonstrated that he had accurately predicted all eight matches in February 2023. Additionally, Betika was directed to cover the suit’s costs and any accrued interest from the date the jackpot was meant to be paid.
