Ontario man who thought he won $1,458 on sports bet shocked by reason he won't get the prize
An Ontario man who recently bet $2 on a long shot and thought he won $1,458 by predicting the outcome of three hockey games was shocked when he was told he didn't actually win.
"I felt great, I was excited," Burlington man Marc Nadal told CTV News Toronto.
Sports betting is a billion dollar business and recently the rules were changed to allow single-game sports betting in Canada, but in Ontario that is only online and in store you still have to correctly pick three correct outcomes to win.
Nadal, who said he considers himself a casual bettor, likes to wager small amounts on long shots. On Jan. 8, he bet on three NHL games and predicted all three would end in a tie.
At the end of regulation time, the San Jose Sharks and Philadelphia Flyers were tied, as were the Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes, and the Washington Capitals and Minnesota Wild.
Nadal thought he was a winner.
"I guess everyone is looking for the elusive three game tie, which is statistically pretty hard to get," he said. "I hit that and I was obviously pretty excited."
However, when Nadal went to collect his money, he was told he was not a winner.
The Washington Capitals and Minnesota Wild game went to a shootout, but the other two games ended when goals were scored during the overtime period.
Nadal said he was shocked when the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) told him a tie is not a tie until the five minute overtime period is over and the shootout begins.
"That's not really consistent to what a tie is in the rest of the world," said Nadal, adding the NHL considers a game a tie after regulation time and OLG should too.
"In the NHL, each participating team is awarded a point at the end of regulation time (because it’s a tie) and the additional five minutes is the tie breaker," said Nadal.
But the OLG confirmed to CTV News Toronto that with PROLINE Hockey, a tie result includes the overtime period.
"It is based on regulation play plus the five-minute overtime period," a spokesperson told CTV News Toronto. "This means that a hockey game will result in both a tie (based on regulation play plus overtime, but not including a shootout) and a win (based on regulation play plus overtime plus shootout) only if the game goes to a shootout. If a game is settled prior to the shootout (including regulation time and the 5-minute overtime), no Tie result is recorded."
"The current rules for PRO·LINE hockey ties were implemented for the 2005-2006 hockey season to reflect the modifications made to the rules of the game by the governing league at that time."
Nadal feels that is unfair and says OLG should treat tie games the same way the NHL does.
"To be honest I don't think I would be picking ties if I would have originally known this," said Nadal.
The rules for ties are also different for sports such as football and soccer. OLG said sports betting is extremely popular but added the rules can be complex and advises customers to do their homework before placing a bet.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Poilievre will do 'anything to win,' must condemn Alex Jones endorsement: Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is ramping up his attacks on Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre as he promotes his government's federal budget.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
New evidence challenges the Pentagon's account of a horrific attack as the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan: CNN exclusive
New video evidence uncovered by CNN significantly undermines two Pentagon investigations into an ISIS-K suicide attack outside Kabul airport, during the American withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.
Video shows suspects waving weapons, smashing glass in Toronto jewelry store robbery
Arrests have been made after five men were captured on video rampaging through a jewelry store in Toronto, waving weapons and smashing glass display cases.
Pilot proposes to flight attendant girlfriend in front of passengers
A Polish pilot proposed to his flight attendant girlfriend during a flight from Warsaw to Krakow, and she said yes.
Ottawa injects another $36M into fund for those seriously injured or killed by vaccines
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
Ex-SNC executive sentenced to prison term in bridge bribery case
The RCMP says a former SNC-Lavalin executive has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison in connection with a bribery scheme for a bridge repair contract in Montreal.