He wins €500, Unibet withdraws everything

Laurent thought he’d pulled off a nice win on the Tour de Romandie: €10 staked, €510 credited to his account. But a few days later, Unibet cancelled his bet, withdrew the winnings and cited incorrect odds.

A risky bet, an unexpected victory

On 1 May 2026, Laurent was following the Tour de Romandie. Dorian Godon, a French cyclist, seemed to be struggling on a climb. He was falling behind, but Laurent knows his cycling. He reckoned the rider could still get back into the race and win. Just as Dorian Godon was at the back of the pack, Unibet offered odds of 51 to 1.

Laurent decides to take a chance. He bets 10 euros. If the French rider wins the stage, the bet should pay out 510 euros. At the finish line, the Frenchman takes the win. Laurent’s account is credited with 510 euros. For the regular punter, it’s the kind of rare moment that gives the feeling of having read the race well.

Winnings credited, then withdrawn

After this win, Laurent does not immediately transfer the money to his bank account. He chooses to leave it in his online wallet. Then, overnight, the situation changes. The 500 euros he won disappear from his Unibet balance. The bet itself is removed from his history.

Laurent initially thought it was a technical error. So he contacted the platform’s customer service team. The response he received left little room for discussion:

“Your bet was placed at the wrong odds, so the winnings have been voided and deducted from your balance by our bookmakers. We’re sorry.”

Betting companies may include in their terms and conditions the option to void a win in the event of a clear odds error. The most common example is an obvious typing error. Imagine an undisputed favourite listed at odds of 14 before the start, when odds of 1.4 should have been offered. In such a situation, the error is clear. The operator may consider that the player has deliberately attempted to take advantage of an anomaly. The bet may then be voided and the stake refunded.

For Laurent, the problem is not limited to the withdrawal of his winnings. It also concerns the way in which the decision was communicated to him. The platform claims that the odds were incorrect, but does not specify precisely why these odds of 51 to 1 would have been manifestly erroneous in the context of the race. However, at the time of the bet, Dorian Godon was struggling. The high odds could therefore have seemed reasonable for a rider falling behind on a climb. Without a detailed explanation, Laurent cannot really understand the decision.

He does not merely dispute the possible existence of a rule allowing certain bets to be voided. Above all, he disputes the lack of any concrete justification in his specific case. For a customer, seeing a win that has already been credited disappear without receiving a full explanation creates a sense of arbitrariness.

The Gaming Commission does not settle the dispute

Faced with this situation, Laurent contacts the Gaming Commission. He hopes to find a remedy or, at the very least, obtain a clear opinion on whether a betting company can cancel a win after the event.

However, the Gaming Commission informs him that it does not have the authority to settle disputes between players and betting companies.

This position leaves Laurent in a deadlock. He has a complaint: a private company has withdrawn a win from his account, but the body he contacted is not handling the dispute. For the player, this lack of support reinforces the feeling of imbalance between the customer and the operator.

Complicated exchanges with Unibet

Laurent then decides to contact the team behind the programme “On n’est pas des pigeons”. The matter is brought to the attention of the journalists, who in turn attempt to obtain explanations.

It is difficult to contact Unibet’s customer service by phone. Online chat appears to be the main channel that works. Unibet’s head office, located at the Casino de Blankenberge, is also unable to provide a clear answer. Communication then takes place via email. 

Initially, Unibet cites the General Data Protection Regulation to explain that it cannot provide specific information regarding Laurent’s case. However, Laurent is willing to share his details with the team handling the matter. The journalists therefore press the issue.

Despite this, the response remains limited. Unibet refers to its terms and conditions, without explaining precisely why Laurent’s bet was cancelled. Nor does the platform reach out to its customer of its own accord to provide further details. 

A case that calls into question bettors’ trust

Beyond the €500 at stake, Laurent’s story touches on trust in online sports betting. A player accepts losing when a bet does not come through. But when a bet is validated, won, and then cancelled after the result, they expect a high degree of transparency.

This transparency is all the more necessary given that the relationship between an operator and a player is not an equal one. The operator sets the odds, validates bets, applies its terms and conditions, and may decide to void a bet on the grounds of an error. The player, on the other hand, does not always have the technical means to verify what actually happened.

At this stage, Laurent finds himself without the €500 he won. His bet has been removed from his history and his balance has been reduced by the winnings credited following Dorian Godon’s victory.