cheesebeast
04-02-2003, 23:56
A CANADIAN punter who cleverly used a betting loophole to win $464,800 from
two greyhound races has won the legal battle to keep his booty.
Queensland betting agency UNITAB this week agreed in an out-of-court
settlement to pay Canadian gambler Brian Le Blanc his full winnings from
two greyhound races at Wentworth Park and Launceston in October 2000.
UNITAB previously had denied Le Blanc his winnings, saying that he had
tried to exploit a loophole in the TAB's payments regulations to manipulate
place pools.
Le Blanc's solicitor, Mark Darwin, said his client was pleased with the
settlement but disappointed he had to pursue legal action to achieve it. He
said both sides would pay their own costs and he didn't know whether his
client would have to pay tax.
Le Blanc's risky and complicated scheme was vigorously contested by UNITAB
through the Appeals and Courts systems but on Thursday UNITAB ran up the
white flag. Betting through an Internet account Le Blanc won $170,000
after wagering more than $730,000 on a Wentworth Park race on October 16,
2000, and the money was paid into his UNITAB account.
Minutes later Le Blanc bet more than $1.1 million on a Launceston dog race
but UNITAB officials stopped the payout, froze Le Blanc's account and
subsequently kept his winnings. At Wentworth Park Le Blanc put $350,000 to
run a place on eventual winner Autobahn Lizzie and third placed Ivory
Dancer. He also had $5000 the place on the other six runners.
The $1 money back rule meant Le Blanc got his $700,000 refunded for the two
big bets but the $5000 on the second placed dog, Centrefield Lad, saw him
collect $200,000 – $170,000 profit on the race. Le Blanc used the same
strategy for the Launceston race. UNITAB has changed the rules that caused
the embarrassment.
UNITAB notified the Australian Stock Exchange it had settled the action and
had $300,000 surplus from the provision it had made to fight the case.
It told the ASX the $300,000 positive adjustment to the books had been made
on January 24. Le Blanc, 30, is a professional gambler who bragged he had
never worked and had spent months planning the strategy for Wentworth Park
and Launceston.
When UNITAB refused to pay, Le Blanc went to Queensland Treasury's Office
of Gaming Regulation, which ruled UNITAB should pay him.
On October 11 last year Justice John Muir in the Brisbane Supreme Court
ruled Le Blanc had the right to pursue his winnings and the case was
expected to go to trial this year.
Le Blanc's writ claimed $464,800 plus 10 per cent interest against UNITAB
and costs.
Lawyers for UNITAB used an amended section of the Racing and Betting Act
regarding avoidance of wagering and gaming contracts to show Le Blanc had
no justifiable cause of action.
Lawyers for Le Blanc argued that if his two main bets had not run a place
he would have lost.
two greyhound races has won the legal battle to keep his booty.
Queensland betting agency UNITAB this week agreed in an out-of-court
settlement to pay Canadian gambler Brian Le Blanc his full winnings from
two greyhound races at Wentworth Park and Launceston in October 2000.
UNITAB previously had denied Le Blanc his winnings, saying that he had
tried to exploit a loophole in the TAB's payments regulations to manipulate
place pools.
Le Blanc's solicitor, Mark Darwin, said his client was pleased with the
settlement but disappointed he had to pursue legal action to achieve it. He
said both sides would pay their own costs and he didn't know whether his
client would have to pay tax.
Le Blanc's risky and complicated scheme was vigorously contested by UNITAB
through the Appeals and Courts systems but on Thursday UNITAB ran up the
white flag. Betting through an Internet account Le Blanc won $170,000
after wagering more than $730,000 on a Wentworth Park race on October 16,
2000, and the money was paid into his UNITAB account.
Minutes later Le Blanc bet more than $1.1 million on a Launceston dog race
but UNITAB officials stopped the payout, froze Le Blanc's account and
subsequently kept his winnings. At Wentworth Park Le Blanc put $350,000 to
run a place on eventual winner Autobahn Lizzie and third placed Ivory
Dancer. He also had $5000 the place on the other six runners.
The $1 money back rule meant Le Blanc got his $700,000 refunded for the two
big bets but the $5000 on the second placed dog, Centrefield Lad, saw him
collect $200,000 – $170,000 profit on the race. Le Blanc used the same
strategy for the Launceston race. UNITAB has changed the rules that caused
the embarrassment.
UNITAB notified the Australian Stock Exchange it had settled the action and
had $300,000 surplus from the provision it had made to fight the case.
It told the ASX the $300,000 positive adjustment to the books had been made
on January 24. Le Blanc, 30, is a professional gambler who bragged he had
never worked and had spent months planning the strategy for Wentworth Park
and Launceston.
When UNITAB refused to pay, Le Blanc went to Queensland Treasury's Office
of Gaming Regulation, which ruled UNITAB should pay him.
On October 11 last year Justice John Muir in the Brisbane Supreme Court
ruled Le Blanc had the right to pursue his winnings and the case was
expected to go to trial this year.
Le Blanc's writ claimed $464,800 plus 10 per cent interest against UNITAB
and costs.
Lawyers for UNITAB used an amended section of the Racing and Betting Act
regarding avoidance of wagering and gaming contracts to show Le Blanc had
no justifiable cause of action.
Lawyers for Le Blanc argued that if his two main bets had not run a place
he would have lost.