s t a n james

Reportedly they have a new head trader with a reputation for being a bit hardline and alot of people have been getting this message recently it seems from asking around.
We can still bet on their website though for a £5 stake if we're lucky, very generous!!

Don't register an email with them would seem to be a solution

got the same e-mail

Got that email a couple of weeks ago. I had the account for 11 years.

yeah ive had an account with them for around 10 years, always took big bets, shame a quality bookie has gone like the rest :(

Mugs welcome... everyone else can s0d off.

They can keep their 140% in-play books and their awful customer service.  They behave like exchanges haven't been invented and noone's ever heard of Oddschecker.  So who are the real mugs?

Had an account with them since the early 1990s, and couldn't understand what was happening when I rang up for a bet and was told I was restricted to online, where the max. takeout is a score. Over the phone they used to let me have a takeout of around £200.

Got this from Vic tor Chand ler yesterday after enquiring why I couldn't log on:

"We are contacting you today to advise that a business decision has been taken by our Senior Traders and I must inform you that betting Account Number ****** has now been closed and no further business may be executed on your behalf."

As I first got an account closed letter from this firm way back in 1994, I suppose I shouldn't complain, but what with Laddies imposing a pony restriction, there really does seem a general purge underway.

Since none of these online operations are working out of the UK any longer, there seems bugger all punters can do. There's no point threatening to bring to HM Government's attention the fact that these are no longer bookmakers, but rather slot machine spivs who are abusing their bookmaker licences as a cover to enjoy the benefits of being High St casinos; if the Government cared, it would have withdrawn their roulette machine licences as soon as they threatened to move offshore.

Unfortunately there is bugger all we can do about it. I usually bet on rugby and getting a bet on that with any high st firm is nigh on impossible. I was in a shop trying to get 200 to 220 and the girl behind the counter asked her colleague 'how much are we allowed to take on rugby again'? then my bet got called through.

Like screaming says, they are just masquerading as bookies now, and are just slot machine arcades with racing on in the background.

There's no way that the RP would even entertain these tales though, I'd love to see a full article on it, and to see if any of these 'odds compilers' or 'trading managers' defend why they are closing accounts all over the place.

Sooner there is an expose on a TV documentary the better

The problem, basically, is Betfair itself.

I'd had a credit account with Hills since 1986, which I used on the rails at racecourses as well as over the phone. I was restricted to a takeout of two grand, but this was usually plenty for me, and I was in profit over the years.

Then, in June 2006, I received the account-closed letter. I spoke to  a "trader" who ummed and aahed over the reasons, but basically stated that in the past, my bets had been useful, particularly to the on-course reps, to find out what was fancied and what horses were "live" or being backed.

"But now," he went on, "we've got Betfair, like, and y'know, well, your business isn't any use to us any more, like, sort of ..."

Basically Betfair marks their cards for free, tells them what prices to offer and does all the work for them without having to tolerate winning punters any longer.

And, of course, the problem is that the odds offered here about anything you'd actually want to back are rarely as good as bookmakers' prices after the scandalously high commission.

Mind you, if you fancy a horse with three legs or a football team with mafia connections, then Betfair is the place to come for 20%, 30%, 40% better odds ... name your price.

VALUEMAN     15 Aug 10 12:16 
Sooner there is an expose on a TV documentary the better


It could make great viewing.  Secretly recording 2 punters, one a p1ssed up bloke running up and down betting on everything and slipping a score in the roulette mchine in between the races.  The other, a winning punter who patiently waits for an opening show on a race before walking up to ask for 700-200 or something only to be told a pony at SP max.  Five seconds later the mug walks up on the chase and gets 300 on no questions asked!  Would be great to hear the Bookies explanation.

spot on

Nothing new, all European books have always done this. As soon as they think you might not be profitable (ie you're betting value), you're cut off from promotions. After a while if it's still the case, limits drop, then drop some more. Some are honest enough to close your account (victor), others will limit you to max stakes of 10p (ladbrokes, willhill, bet365, paddy, stan, etc etc etc).

It's not really a loss though, all these books are garbage anyway. Use pinnacle/SBO for football, the prices are far better.

I also got my Stan James e mail last week.I'm complaining to their top man Peter Fisher.I wonder if he knows what's going on.

What's to complain about? They've identified you'll take money off them, and they're a business so makes sense to boot you.

But I've lost steadily to them since March ?

Stan was the only place where I used to bet in my own name but was limited to 2-300 pound bets so just didnt bet with them that often. Now that the account has been closed I am getting four figure bets on with them through other channels. As a result I have started to look at thier prices more closely and the closure  has actualy been a blessing.

Stan are deffo using the dreaded IE snare now. Closed my account in my name. Got 5 more accounts with them via friends. All 5 accounts are limited to take out a score after a week.

What's the IE snare ?

@artie: doesn't matter if you lost, it matters if you bet value (or out of line prices, which are usually value, although not always).

Short term if you bet value, you can lose. Long term you won't.

Snare is a clever tracking cookie that allows bookmakers to link accounts etc

Asian bookies like SBO are the way forward. Betfair football punters should seriously consider putting their business their way. The small margins on many markets offer more value than here.

I got this from SJ, despite never backing a horse in my life!! -

Your Stan James Username is: xxxxxxx.
This email refers to the betting account that you hold with Stan James, specifically your eligibility to the horse racing promotion namely, ‘Best Odds Guaranteed’.
The decision has been taken to restrict the number of accounts eligible for this promotion, and we regret to inform you that your betting account will no longer qualify for ‘Best Odds Guaranteed’. This decision has been made according to our terms.

We hope that you will continue to enjoy using Stan James’ wide range of products. As part of our regulatory responsibilities, we are required to verify the identity of all new account holders. Please note that any new accounts that our systems indicate may be linked to the account above will, in accordance with our company policy, be closed.
Kind regards,

xxx

If you google how to get rid of iesnare it will help for a while.

"If you google how to get rid of iesnare it will help for a while. "

Bear in mind that IESNARE tracks and colates things like IP Address. Computer ID, as well as the obvious stuff like Name and CC No.

So If you've been tracked already by Iesnare then its more likely you'll need a new IP Address and PC before appearing as a new punter.

iv been with mr james for over 15yrs, never had any trouble getting my bets on untill saturday night, i wanted £300 on a golfer @ 12s in the uspga and was told , you can have £200 @ 9/1 and the rest @ 12s,  said very calmly and politely no thanks,  just close my account lad,  i too is in the money making bussiness,  seya! ,  by the way the golfer losted

So if you cannot find any trace of iesnare on your machine then presumably you are okay? I am now on my 4th account with bet365 using a friends help with his name details etc . I am using the same pc as one of my previous accounts but with a different ip address (new isp provider). I have searched my computer for iesnare without any hits . So I am in the clear? Thanks.

You should be fine, although 3 pounds 65 don't exactly take a long time to limit you anyway! A tinpot outfit to put it mildly.

Even if you haven't got iesnare on your machine now, it's a good idea to add it to your blocked sites list in case someone tries to install it in future.

(and on that subject, I found it on mine and went through the denying access thingy and adding it to my blocked sites - I'll be moving soon so getting new ip /isp etc, should this be sufficient?)

Thanks Turtle - you are correct about 365 as they have already effectively closed down three accounts now limited to betting in pennies. I should get a warning if iesnare tries to install on my machine as I have Norton Security.

I think the iesnare thing is mainly for duplicate accounts isnt it, never found it on my computer tbh but then again havent ever set up a beard account...

in the shops they scan your docket through and don't ring. does anyone know if the cashier still has the ability to submit a code that alerts them if your a winning or losing punter with this system?

I have been in a few shops recently where they've made a call to check my bet. In fact, I've never had my docket scanned.

Wouldn't have thought they can use a code by scanning, but then I'd never heard of iesnare either!

this shop is in Ireland if that makes any difference? ladbrokes also seem to have the same system. Never make a phone call but whatever they do with dockets takes up to a minute or more. Was in a hills shop today and they made a phone call.Was nearly asked for a fingerprint and then offered a derogatory amount on a york handicap and am not am arber before someone sayes it and am not known in the shop either.

laddys using the new camera behind the counter to submit live pics to trading room. You're in trouble if u're a) identified or b) hiding ur face from the camera.

Time to get a wardrobe of disguises I think....

I draw the line at wearing a dress though....oh alright then if it means getting a grand on one I really fancy, where are those fishnet stockings the missus used to wear....

Ladbrokes using cameras behind the counter . Are they trying to catch Lord Lucan ?

A pleasing thread, lot's of sense here. Sadly this is the Industry we're in.

laddys using the new camera behind the counter to submit live pics to trading room.

Nonsense. Their EPOS system is linked direct to head office and therefore if your bet is outside their trading principles it is automatically sent to a traders screen to confirm or reject the bet hence the delay.

Was in a Billys shop with a self serve terminal last week. Anybody know if there are lower trading principles on these?

Whereabouts was it, out of interest?

artie Joined: 12 Sep 01
Replies: 864 21 Aug 10 16:42 
Ladbrokes using cameras behind the counter .

lol

If it was the self service terminal in the Doncaster shoop yes they have lower limits on them.

Dale Street, Liverpool turtleshead.

What sort of limits, Jack?

Lower limits for stakes on things hills dont like taking bets on.

Asked for 100 on a bags dog on the self service terminal. Needless to say I didn't get it.

Aha, a couple of hundred miles away from me, bit far to go, cheers anyway

Would it not be possible to keep feeding in say £30 bets to get a few hundred on?  Or would this take to long or would the machine spot it?

There was a self-service terminal in Ladbrokes on the Edgware Road. When I started using it to put on filth the manager just pulled the plug!

I got a letter about 10 years ago from Paddies telling me my account was closed after my first bet. The next Day I got my welcome pack in the post!

In fairness I sort of deserved it and they did pay out :)