On Tuesday, Bet365 encountered significant backlash after the sportsbook modified the odds on accepted wagers upon discovering that a backup running back would start for the San Francisco 49ers in their “Monday Night Football” matchup. 

Jordan Mason serves as the backup running back for the Niners, playing behind Christian McCaffrey, a dynamic athlete in the NFL who received the Offensive Player of the Year award in 2023. 

McCaffrey usually handles the majority of the work in the San Francisco backfield and receives most of the team's carries. That’s why bet365 initially set Mason’s over/under for total rushing yards versus the New York Jets at only 13.5 yards. The line was at odds of -110, standard for an over/under. 

Once bet365 understood that McCaffrey would be sidelined due to a persistent calf/Achilles injury, the sportsbook informed bettors with wagers on Mason that their odds had been modified to -5000. The adjustment caused a $100 winning wager to reduce its payout from $90.91 to only $2. 

Bet365 Fulfills Its Promise, Sort Of 

Matt Williams, a sports betting analyst at VSiN Live, was the first to reveal the bet365 odds change regarding Mason’s performance. 

Bet365 informed Mason and others who placed the Mason over/under at -110 that the modification was justified as the initial odds were presented mistakenly.

"We have identified that this selection was placed at incorrect odds and as such, in accordance with our rules, will be settled at the revised odds of -5000,” the bet365 communication read.

Following Williams’ post of the sportsbook message on X, numerous furious bettors reprimanded the operation, prompting bet365 to release a “settlement update.” Williams stated that his $110 wager received $91.93, falling short of the $100 he was justifiably entitled to based on -110 odds. The feedback on the bet365 settlement news was mostly unfavorable. 

“The only reason you’re agreeing to this is because you got called out publicly,” read one response on X.

"There was no confusion, you all thought you could screw people over,” added another.

Williams compared the book’s description to that of a thief breaking into a bank who subsequently discovered they were recorded on film. 

“So they brought the money to the police station and said, ‘Sorry for any confusion.'”

Regulators Silent 

In July, the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) mandated that bet365 compensate $519,323.32 to gamblers for 199 successful bets where the sportsbook had altered its odds post-adjustment. 

The gaming authority stated that bet365 did not inform the agency about accepting bets on odds it considered incorrect. State officials indicated that DGE authorization is required initially for a book to modify odds on facilitated bets. 

The DGE uncovered further regulatory shortcomings at bet365 last week, disclosing that the bookmaker accepted bets on events that had already concluded. Bet365 has consented to resolve the regulatory issue by paying a $33K fine. 

Casino.org contacted the DGE for a statement about Monday night’s issue but did not receive a response prior to publication. We will revise the story upon receiving a reply.