Yesterday appeared to be a day of triumph for the Whites, as they beat Ipswich Town before a packed and rapt Elland Road to maintain their lofty position atop the Championship. Leeds United, leading the way, a promotion charge gathering momentum, the lads are in form and all’s right with the world. What could be better?
Except, it ain’t necessarily so. You see, those sporting geniuses at Paddy Power have decided, in their wisdom (and not for any sordid commercial reasons or wanting to weasel out of a bet, nosirreebob) that Leeds United didn’t win on Saturday. So we’re not top of the league, we’re only third. Because – and mark this well – own goals don’t count. As the hapless Ipswich goalkeeper Bartosz Bialkowski was officially credited with Leeds’ third and ultimately decisive goal, Paddy Power have airily ruled it out; Leeds didn’t win after all, the match was drawn.
How utterly stupid, I hear you say – and you’re right. But it’s not only stupid, it’s bent, perverse, grubby and laughably self-serving. For a bookie to throw an attitude like that, simply to avoid paying out on a bet won fair and square, is utter lunacy. What credibility do they have left in the wake of such a crass decision? None; not a shred.
As things stand, punters who bet on Leeds to win and Lasogga to score anytime are out of pocket in a totally inexcusable and scandalous manner. Lasogga undeniably scored. No arguments there. And Leeds undeniably won – yet Paddy Power denies it, for their own tawdry reasons.
I hope that sanity prevails and that those frustrated and outraged punters get their winnings after all. But I also hope that Paddy Power’s business takes a massive hit over this – who in their right mind will place a bet with such a very unscrupulous firm? Not me, for one. And I bet all sensible punters feel the same.
Let us not forget, this is the firm that offered odds on the assassination of Barack Obama, amongst other tasteless actions. They even took bets on Ugo Ehiogu becoming manager of Birmingham City, after the former Leeds defender’s tragic death. I feel safe in saying that this is not a reputable firm.
Yesterday’s shameful decision not to honour bets on a Leeds victory disgracefully confirms that verdict. Paddy Power: pay up, shut up – and then get lost.
Oh – and we did win. And we’re still top. In the real world that is – not the murky and crooked view of a dodgy bookie.
Life, Leeds United, the Universe & Everything 
You’re right, it is ridiculous. This article will be a pleasant surprise to all those betting on a 2-2 draw though.
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just typical they are just like the insurance companies ya pay the premiums then have to make a claim only to be told sorry we don’t cover fitted carpets as they are removable items……….? go swivel on it i self insure now .. great win as well Paddy
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Utter robbery, they should be shut down immediately.
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This bookie firm are regularly involved on Talk Sport with presenters having very chatty discussions over odds for games with said Irish gent.
I hope they take note and drop their affiliation until such inexcusable practices are stopped.
Despicable and down right shoddy. Well done for highlighting this Rob.
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Thanks. It’s bloody annoying isn’t it – and I’m not even a betting man.
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Legally they are obliged to pay if they don’t state in writing that own goals do not count.but if Herandez had hit that ball from a slightly different angle,from a free-kick for example,would have counted as a goal of course not an own goal just because the keeper got a hand to it.
But surely,legally,you have the right to form a complaint to ,is it the trading standards?
such practice is scandalous and can’t see how they can justify this decision of not paying you for winning the bet.
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Oh,’Stylo’ has hit the nail on the head there.
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Love taking your cash but paying out?Expose em to the Nationals,The Tory pathfinder,The Sun will love it,though I won’t ever read it, some do.What a crappy reason not to pay out,no doubt its in some miniscule terms and cons. somewhere.Don’t let them get away with it,a wins a win.
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Tmk the rule of thumb with own goals is if the ball wouldn’t have gone in the net without the interference of the player in question then it’s classed as an own goal but that ball was going in so therefore it’s a normal goal. Bunch of shysters the bookies, job lot of ’em.
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The thing is, though, a goal is a goal. Own goals win and lose games, always have, always will. They’re just part of the game, like throw-ins and corners. To introduce an artificial distinction and use it to reclassify a win as a draw – it really is the most specious bollocks.
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Check out the Consumer Rights Act 2015 re Unfair terms in consumer contracts and the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading 2008 re shady commercial practices
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I’d have thought this should be covered by some sort of protective legislation. You might as well be able to redefine a Rottweiler as a hamster for the purposes of the Dangerous Dogs Act. In the real world, saying something doesn’t make it so. Leeds United won with Lasogga scoring, and those who placed bets on that outcome should properly be paid out.
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I’m going to start looking at own goals accidentally gifted to Leeds United during the 1991/92 season starting with Brian Gayle’s beauty.
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We’d still have won the title anyway 😎
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I wonder if PP would dare to take a similar stance if it was an own goal that settled a World Cup Final.
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Not if it was in favour of the Irish Republic!
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Off topic Rob; I accept that every Leeds United supporter is entitled to have a different opinion and to express it, that is what healthy debate is about but I must confess to feeling very disappointed at the number of “supporters” who are immediately jumping on our players at the very first sign of making a mistake and suggesting that TC should drop Felix for the Cardiff game! We won the game and remain top FFS!
How many howlers did Rob Green make in the early weeks of last season before becoming much more reliable and winning us many points?
We are top of the league and really surprising many of the football “pundits”, so lets get behind TC and all the players who have got us to these early dizzy heights and trust TC’s team selection and tactics. Our goal difference alone is already equivalent to the total sum of our goal differences over the last 4 seasons!
Enjoy the ride folks, there will be plenty of stern challenges during a Championship season and we will need to recruit a dozen new keepers in January if we are going to drop any keeper who makes a mistake during a game!
Rant over Rob. Innit great being TOP OF THE LEAGUE thanks in great part to our new centre forward who chose to stay and play (and score), even though his daughter had been born in Germany the night before. Puts the sick note 6 into clear perspective doesn’t it Rob? Side Before Self every time. MOT
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Jury’s still out on Felix I think, there’s a perception that he’s more of a sweeper than a keeper – the flap and spill for Ipswich’s second was a gruesome sight. But we are doing well and maybe we’ve been a bit spoiled after so long subsisting on pretty meagre fare. The support as a body though has been magnificent, home and away. The carping tends to come from social media mavericks, IMHO. MOT
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What scumbags they are to do that. They seem to be lacking any morals or integrity anyway although its a shame they never had to pay out on Obama getting nailed mind. I don’t agree with online betting anyway its too easy for people to lose a fortune. Ideally p,power will go bankrupt and online betting should be banned as well as shirt advertising.
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I have now closed my PP account, unscrupulous idiots. However they say that they can’t close it permanently as I don’t have a gambling problem, so they can only suspend it !! Cheek of it.
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Can’t you get a dubious character reference? 😆
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Does Michael O’Leary, of Ryanair cheap shites, have anything to do with PaddyPower? If so, all is explained!
‘Of more interest to you and your blog, I have been trying to make a donation to LLU&E but PayPal is an obstacle.
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I hadn’t thought of that. It’s not been a very good week for the Republic, has it? And thanks for trying, I thought I’d solved the PayPal issue. Bugger.
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If it is in their grubby, crappy terms and conditions written on the back of their bog rolls then I’m afraid they are covered. I never bet, it’s a mugs game, they profit on losses and misery, they are all parasites and people should realise this. Punters never tell you what they lose, only what they win. All betting commercials should be banned and I have NO respect for stars and celebs who are paid handsomely to advertise this robbing business. How anyone can be sucked in to this beggars belief. The only way to get your own back on PP is bad publicity, humiliation and expose them as disgraceful and immoral.
Apart from that,great win, edge of the seat stuff, terrific atmosphere, terrific team, terrific top of the league, terrific time to be a Leeds fan.MOT
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Quite right Popeye. Bookies popping up all over the high street to profit from misery is disgusting. It causes as much harm, breaks up families and causes deaths as drugs or alcohol yet it is allowed to flourish. Ban it I say – horrible blood sucking business.
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Haven’t you realised Rob, we’re only JOINT top, as all the commentators keep repeating. It would make them choke to admit we’re actually first.
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The utter cads!
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Hi Rob First time reply,love your ramblings.
I also had a few small Leeds bets with PP yesterday.
Couldn’t understand why my “massive” winnings weren’t
credited for Philips to score & Leeds to win double.
It was down on PP as a losing bet,I queried it with the online
customer rep,they looked at it and I got paid out shortly after.
Never had a problem before,don’t know why now.
Don’t like the fans criticising the players (especially Philips,he’s the dogs bollox),but I did have Lasogga to score first and Leeds to win 3 1,so I am
not overly enamoured of Felix,but mistakes happen so MOT.
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I guess I’m lucky in that I’ve never felt lucky enough to gamble!
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Crikey! The BBC have just published a half decent article about LEEDS on the Championship section of the website. Times really are a’ Chang in’. MOT.
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Weird!
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