What a plonker!

Sometimes, I can be a right pratt, too quick to take the moral high ground. Helen tells me it happens quite a lot, but that she has learnt not to bother to argue with me on the occasions that I show what must be a very irritating trait.

There's a chap at Centrebet who must have formed a very low opinion of me, and to be completely fair, is fully justified in doing so. Most of you will be aware I'm sure, that Centrebet have recently been acquired by Sportingbet. Not a great move for us punters that, eh? Gone is a BOG bookie who took most bets to be replaced by some no mark excuse for a bookmaker that doesn't. Anyway (before I start ranting and raving again), Centrebet customers were advised a little while ago to withdraw the balances from their accounts.

So I tried to do just that. Problem was, the bank card I had used to make my initial deposit had expired. I emailed Centrebet customer services, who told me to provide my bank details - ie. account number and sort code - and they would ensure the funds were paid in.

A week later, no sign of the money. Another email exchange assured me the transaction has been processed and the arrival of the funds into my account must therefore be imminent. Another week passed and still no sign. Another email exchange. Another few days...was the money in my account? No, it was not. So now I'm getting stroppy, threatening to go to the authorities (whoever they may be), publicise my poor experiences (what would that matter to a company that shortly won't exist?), and generally acting like a right grumpy old git.

This morning's response from Australia asked if they may confirm my bank details. The account number had a digit wrong - a five instead of a nine. That was it. I wrote what must have been the most condescending, snotty email it is possible to write, belittling their procedures and questioning their integrity.

The email I received in return read:

"Dear Mr. Day,

Thankyou for your observations.

In our defence, I do feel it necessary to point out that the bank account number is the one that you provided us with in your original correspondence...."

I shan't type out the rest. It was very polite. Centrebet are being most understanding as after all, it was "an easy mistake to make". Their words, not mine.



Still, like Mr. Uppity in the Mr. Men books, I've learnt my lesson.

This evening, I went to make a small withdrawal from my Ladbrokes account. Again I was presented with the issue of needing to update my bank card details. However, I was advised by Ladbrokes via email that to update my details, I needed to withdraw the total balance of my account. What? How can I do that? I can't withdraw to an old bank card, can I? If I could, I wouldn't need to update my card details!

I started writing a stroppy email. And then stopped. And pondered, before picking up the telephone to ring customer services.

They were rather helpful. Sorted my issue out quickly and easily, and ten minutes later, I was able make my withdrawal.

Today it seems, two bookmakers have made me a better man. I don't like to think too deeply about what that says about me.


Something else I've done today. Learnt the definition of the word, "Stochastic". That too has made me a better man, and I'm hoping a better gambler too in the months to come. We shall return to this theme shortly.


And on that tantalising note, I'm off. My bed awaits.