Betika has refuted the allegations of bettor Nelson Kipkogei Melly, who claims the sports betting company is withholding his winning prize.
Melly had filed a legal complaint against Betika, alleging that the company had mishandled his account and funds. He claimed that Betika failed to pay out his winnings of Sh477,590 and had placed bets using his account without his authorization.
However, Betika has denied any allegations of wrongdoing concerning Melly’s winnings or account. The renowned betting company confirmed in a letter to the law firm representing Melly that he did place virtual bets on October 16, 2023, and won a sum of Sh477,590.
Furthermore, Betika affirms that these funds were credited to Melly’s account in compliance with standard procedures. But then, he initiated another bet procedure with his winnings, which can only be performed by the customer. Melly opted to engage the auto-play feature on the Aviator game, choosing 20 rounds at a stake of Sh20,000 per round. This action resulted in a cumulative stake of Sh400,000.
Betika says in the letter to Melly’s lawyer: “At 9:01 am, at the end of the autoplay round, your client withdrew Sh70,000, and at 9:03, he withdrew an additional Sh 7,500 from his Betika wallet to his Mpesa account. From the foregoing, your client, an avid punter, is well aware of the game mechanics, including the auto-play feature, as evidenced by his gameplay.
Furthermore, his withdrawal (of the monies) shows your client was well aware of his account activity and account balance.” The company’s customer care department contacted Melly by phone on October 16, 2023, to explain the situation, but he did not accept the explanation.
Betika said in the closing statement, “The company reserves its legal rights in this matter, and any suit shall be strongly defended at your client’s risk of costs and other incidentals arising therefrom.”
The betting firm has faced similar legal disputes over bet winnings. A similar situation occurred in August 2023, when David Juma won a case against the company, proving that he had won a Sh500,000 jackpot.