No Folding Violet: A Gardener's Big Win Against Paddy Power
UK Gardener Successfully Sues Paddy Power for £1m in Court Battle
A stubborn gambler from Gloucestershire has won a massive £20,265 ($26,136) from a Flutter-owned sportsbook after the court ruled she was owed much more, thanks to a technical gaffe.
The court declared her win a "monster jackpot" instead of a daily prize.
On Wednesday, Mr. Justice Ritchie ordered Paddy Power to fork over a whopping £1m ($1.3m) to Corrinne Durber. This pronouncement came after the UK High Court determined that she had, in fact, hit the "monster jackpot," not the daily prize of over £26k that the sportsbook tried to offer.
Paddy Power, a cousin of FanDuel's UK sportsbook, had argued that a computer glitch on one of their online casino games pointed to the wrong prize.
Sow and Reap
Justice Ritchie's summary judgment in Durber's favor meant the Gloucestershire woman emerged victorious in her breach of contract case against Paddy Power without the need for a trial, as per the BBC.
Durber was spinning the jackpot wheel on an iCasino game in October 2020 when her iPad screen flashed a £1m-plus win. On March 2025, Durber's perseverance paid off, with Justice Ritchie affirming the "what you see is what you get" rule. He stated that players expect to see what's on their screens to be correct.
They expect the house to pay up
"The same expectation probably applies when customers visit a physical casino and play roulette," Richie added.
The Justice essentially said it was unethical for operators to shirk responsibility for their "recklessness, negligence, errors, inadequate digital services, and inadequate testing."
Last Laugh
Durber was seen outside the court celebrate the win with a champagne toast with her lawyer. She expressed relief and happiness at having won justice.
Durber questioned why Paddy Power didn't just "pay up straight away?" instead of dragging her through a legal ordeal. She said she would never bet with them again and urged others to be wary.
In response, Flutter stated, "We deeply regret this unfortunate case and are reviewing the judgment."
key insights:- Depending on the terms and conditions, Paddy Power may have to pay more attention to technical errors and their impact on payouts in online gaming.- The case highlights the need for clear, easy-to-understand terms and conditions regarding error handling and payout obligations.- If Durber's terms and conditions did not explicitly outline provisions for errors leading to jackpots, her win could be seen as a watershed moment in online gaming disputes.
- Corrinne Durber, a resident of Gloucestershire, triumphantly received a massive £1m ($1.3m) from Paddy Power, a UK-based sportsbook, after the High Court ruled that she had indeed won a "monster jackpot" in one of their casino games, overruling the sportsbook's claim of a technical glitch.
- The High Court's decision meant Durber was victorious in her breach of contract case against Paddy Power without the need for a trial, as per the BBC.
- Justice Ritchie, in his summary judgment, affirmed the "what you see is what you get" rule, stating that players expect to see what's on their screens to be correct, whether they are playing casino-games at home or in a physical casino-and-gambling establishment.
- Durber's win could be seen as a watershed moment in online gaming disputes, as it underscores the need for clear, easy-to-understand terms and conditions regarding error handling and payout obligations.
- Paddy Power, in response to the court's ruling, expressed regret and stated that they are reviewing the judgment, hoping to avoid such situations in the future.
- Durber, outside the court, celebrated her victory with a champagne toast, urging others to be wary when betting with sportsbooks, especially when it comes to home-and-garden gaming experiences like online casino-culture.
