One of the biggest online sports betting sites in the world had to issue its biggest refund yet during the 2022 World Cup after another scoreless draw during Friday’s matches in Qatar.
bet365 said it paid back users more than £5 million, or US$6 million, after England and the United States of America played to a 0-0 tie. The refund was due to the bookmaker’s “Bore Draw” offer of refunds for certain losing wagers (such as on a player scoring with a header) if there are no goals in a game.
The company previously suggested that each scoreless draw was costing them around $2.5 million in refunds, making Friday's England-U.S. match the costliest "Bore Draw" and "No Score Tie Offer" yet.
In 2018, there was one 0-0 in all 64 matches at the World Cup.
— bet365 (@bet365) November 25, 2022
In the first 20 matches in Qatar we have already seen ???????????????? goalless draws. pic.twitter.com/avzog5YsEc
That means bet365 users have now been refunded around $15 million during this World Cup on account of the operator’s offer and the five scoreless ties (one of them more costly than the other four) thus far in the tournament.
bet365 said going into the event that they had already refunded almost US$50 million over the last four major tournaments because of the “Bore Draw” offer.
The offer was expanded for the 2022 World Cup, and bettors are now having stakes returned for losing pre-match bets on anytime goalscorers and other markets if the game ends 0-0 and the bet loses.
