The TAB will refund all pick the round bets placed on last
night's Sonny Bill Williams-Francois Botha fight, which ended
in confusion when the scheduled 12-round WBA title bout was
inexplicably reduced to 10 rounds.
All head-to-head and decision bets will be honoured after
Williams won the bout in Brisbane by unanimous decision.
TAB general manager Martin Saunders said it was only fair to
customers that all pick the round bets be refunded.
"We're disappointed by the confusion this has created and it
simply isn't fair for our customers," Saunders said. "The
number of rounds has changed twice before in fights involving
Sonny Bill Williams, so we'll be looking very closely at
whether we offer the pick the round option on his future
fights."
TAB betting rule 15.9 (b) states: If the number of rounds
change after betting has commenced all pick the round bets
will be void and stakes refunded.
"It's not for us to say whether two additional rounds would
have changed the result but we're as frustrated and
disappointed as our customers given the way the fight
finished," Saunders said.
"On behalf of our customers we will be seeking a 'please
explain' from the promoters and organisers of the fight as to
how and why this last-minute change occurred."
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