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According to SBR, MatchBook leaving U.S. market According to SBR, MatchBook leaving U.S. market

02-28-2011 , 10:15 PM
It just seems easier and more fair to simply mail all US customers a check with their account balance. The credit card thing seems like it will present problems - first everyone must email their credit card info which is a security issue in itself... second, there may be issues with the credit on the part of the bank that issues the credit card. Hopefully not but you never know.

At any rate I am disappointed that they literally gave their long-time loyal customers ZERO advance notice. Just, "Hey, your account is done... email us your credit card info and we'll get the money to you in a few weeks, or a month, or whenever we get around to it."
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02-28-2011 , 10:21 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by NFuego20
But the cashout process here is highly questionable on a number of levels.
don't take this as a flippant remark, but if you think this is a questionable cashout process you have no idea what this industry is really like.

anyone who has been in this game for awhile has gotten robbed for a large sum at some point when a sportsbook decided they could make more money by stealing than by doing business legitimately. even when people do get paid, it's a long and tense process: ask people how they felt during the neteller freeze.

getting everyone paid here is going to be quite the logistical effort. i know that is hard to appreciate in the middle of all this, but the new owners deserve credit for making this a priority.

ClockWyze took the time to personally call me and discuss the situation and my options for getting my money out, and he is handling people's concerns with personal messages and emails. can you see a member of BetCRIS's ownership group taking time to do the same? how about WSEX or cascade or betonsports or...
According to SBR, MatchBook leaving U.S. market Quote
02-28-2011 , 10:45 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by crockpot
don't take this as a flippant remark, but if you think this is a questionable cashout process you have no idea what this industry is really like.

anyone who has been in this game for awhile has gotten robbed for a large sum at some point when a sportsbook decided they could make more money by stealing than by doing business legitimately. even when people do get paid, it's a long and tense process: ask people how they felt during the neteller freeze.

getting everyone paid here is going to be quite the logistical effort. i know that is hard to appreciate in the middle of all this, but the new owners deserve credit for making this a priority.

ClockWyze took the time to personally call me and discuss the situation and my options for getting my money out, and he is handling people's concerns with personal messages and emails. can you see a member of BetCRIS's ownership group taking time to do the same? how about WSEX or cascade or betonsports or...
I understand just how bad it is, and the U.S. being behind the times and favoring prohibition over logic is the primary reason. That said, there are a handful of trustworthy sportsbooks out there right now willing to serve our market despite that situation. I'm always careful to stick with books that have a good reputation, but even then there's some risk. To Matchbook's credit, they've been one of those books for the most part, but the process they're going through right now turns everything upside down.

I had money on Pinnacle when they pulled out. I had money on Neteller for months when their funds were frozen. So the comments from me aren't coming out of ignorance, trust me.

To your point, it could absolutely be worse. I trust that ClockWyze means well, but that doesn't mean Matchbook gets a pass here. The credit card thing still doesn't make a ton of sense and is just asking for problems. The fees, still not fair to customers who had no warning. For a company to come in and buy out another company, and completely change the way it does business, to pay for a legal opinion in what has always been a murky legal environment... well that's not cheap. If they have the money to come in, make that investment, hire lawyers, etc... then the processing costs are a part of it as well. In business most mergers and acquisitions involve some up front costs that are later covered by future profit. This isn't as black and white as it's made out to be. Simply a matter of doing the right thing imo. They don't deserve an F for how they're handling this, but it's far from an A as well.
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02-28-2011 , 10:56 PM
I don't doubt ClockWyze, but I'm a generally cautious person. I also suggest that the new Matchbook coordinate with the old Matchbook.

Quote:
me: I received an email about US accounts being shut down. I am hesitant to provide bank details through email so I went to the 2 2 forums. Some one claiming to be from Matchbook going by the handle ClockWyze suggested I call 1-877-817-4701. I wanted to verify that this was the correct number to call.
You are now speaking with Trinity of Accounting.
Trinity: i am not aware of this, but you can however send us a fax with that informaiton
me: Is there a number I can call? I don't have a fax machine
Trinity: you will have to contact them in the morning via phone
me: I can do that. What is the correct number to call?
Trinity: 18775869477
me: Perfect. What is the best time to call?
Trinity: it can be found under the "contact us"
Trinity: 9am est
me: Thank you very much.
me: That is all for me. Thanks for your help.
Trinity: can you send me the link to that thread please
me: http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/40...market-988577/
Trinity: thank you
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02-28-2011 , 11:41 PM
Hi Clockwyze,
I have some Matchbook check withdrawals requested in mid to late January that were not paid yet and Matchbook sent me an e-mail that they were just putting the money back into my Matchbook account. Those withdrawals are well past the 15 to 20 business day promised payment timeline listed on Matchbook's website. I think the right thing to do in these cases is to pay the past due withdrawals first and not just put the money back into a customer account so the customer goes to the back of the withdrawal line. Can you help? Please PM me. Thanks.
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03-01-2011 , 01:08 AM
wooow i wonder how many bank account numbers clockwyze got
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03-01-2011 , 03:36 AM
question:
what about commission credits? will those be paid out as well? It would suck to lose those.
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03-01-2011 , 04:42 AM
What if I only got about $35 in my account. There's gotta be something more fair than just lose my money. Also I've got $80 in commission credits. If I get stuck for $100 plus, I'm gonna be upset. Accounts under $200 should get a $10 withdrawal fee or some compensation, out of decency. If I knew this change was coming, I could have transferred out my cash, or deposited more and played off the commissions.

It would be nice to settle this quickly and fairly without it getting messy.
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03-01-2011 , 05:29 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Climate
What if I only got about $35 in my account. There's gotta be something more fair than just lose my money. Also I've got $80 in commission credits. If I get stuck for $100 plus, I'm gonna be upset. Accounts under $200 should get a $10 withdrawal fee or some compensation, out of decency. If I knew this change was coming, I could have transferred out my cash, or deposited more and played off the commissions.

It would be nice to settle this quickly and fairly without it getting messy.
I am really sorry. This is Matchbook policy. These US player payouts are expensive and difficult to process and the cost to Matchbook is much more then the $35/payout.
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03-01-2011 , 05:31 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by revots33
It just seems easier and more fair to simply mail all US customers a check with their account balance. The credit card thing seems like it will present problems - first everyone must email their credit card info which is a security issue in itself... second, there may be issues with the credit on the part of the bank that issues the credit card. Hopefully not but you never know.

At any rate I am disappointed that they literally gave their long-time loyal customers ZERO advance notice. Just, "Hey, your account is done... email us your credit card info and we'll get the money to you in a few weeks, or a month, or whenever we get around to it."
The new Matchbook ownership took effect at Midnight on the 27th. It wouldn't have been possible for them to contact and warn players prior to the change of ownership.
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03-01-2011 , 05:36 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Buzzman
Hi Clockwyze,
I have some Matchbook check withdrawals requested in mid to late January that were not paid yet and Matchbook sent me an e-mail that they were just putting the money back into my Matchbook account. Those withdrawals are well past the 15 to 20 business day promised payment timeline listed on Matchbook's website. I think the right thing to do in these cases is to pay the past due withdrawals first and not just put the money back into a customer account so the customer goes to the back of the withdrawal line. Can you help? Please PM me. Thanks.
You can't receive PM's. Your best bet would be to email accounts@matchbook.com. Matchbook's back office staff has been working tirelessly around the clock to respond to as many emails as possible.
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03-01-2011 , 06:35 AM
Quote:
I am really sorry. This is Matchbook policy. These US player payouts are expensive and difficult to process and the cost to Matchbook is much more then the $35/payout.

Well this is your problem really, it's only $35 but still theft.
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03-01-2011 , 06:37 AM
Well, since there's nothing we can do about this situation regardless of how we feel about it, I guess I'll just wait a week or two to see if any horror stories develop before I finally submit my information.

For those of you who are brave enough to submit your credit card info right now, please keep us posted in regard to your experiences with that and let us know if everything goes smoothly or if you run into problems.
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03-01-2011 , 06:46 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by OreosAndMilk
Well this is your problem really, it's only $35 but still theft.
Exactly. It's not the player's fault that transactions are expensive for you. Your company chose to be in this market and as of just over 24 hours ago that guy had a working balance that he could at a minimum play with. He obviously wasn't going to try to cash $35 out. He was going to play with it until he either ran it up or lost it and would've probably had fun in the process. For many of us it's more about the entertainment value and having action than simple dollars and cents. Now his money is gone and he had no chance to play with the money he funded. Just wiping it out is indefensible, and saying it's matchbook policy because costs are high doesn't make it ok. It's tough to have a lot of sympathy here as you're simply not doing the right thing. It's nothing more than a business acquisition with profit in mind... which would be fine if it didn't victimize so much of the player base.
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03-01-2011 , 07:55 AM
what about interbook transfers? can those be done for free?
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03-01-2011 , 08:27 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by dudeimstoked
what about interbook transfers? can those be done for free?
That was my immediate reaction when the news came out, that it would be the least costly way of handling this. But matchbook is not allowing them due to the legal opinion that it may constitute a violation of U.S. law.

We're stuck with one option and one option only, and it's a weird one. Credit cards that were never used to deposit on the site in the first place. There's been very little flexibility shown to this point and it doesn't look like that is going to change.
According to SBR, MatchBook leaving U.S. market Quote
03-01-2011 , 09:26 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by ClockWyze
The new Matchbook ownership took effect at Midnight on the 27th. It wouldn't have been possible for them to contact and warn players prior to the change of ownership.
Well your legal advisors were probably involved well before midnight on the 27th.

I see your point given the way it was handled, however it could have been handled much better. It would have been possible to work with the old management prior to the cut-over date, to talk to the current customers and let them know an agreement had been signed and will take effect in 30 days with the following conditions... This way you don't own matchbook yet, and you allow the current customers to react to the changes.

As saddened as people might have been at the news, it would have reduced the number of complaints you are receiving, left more $ in matchbook as people payed vig to do one last 'transfer' to their non-American friends, reduced your time (and cost if actually > $35) of processing wire transfers and most importantly, showed a good example first hand of how you plan to treat your future customers, by demonstrating how you treat those which you can no longer have as your customers.
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03-01-2011 , 10:12 AM
the last time one of my favorite restaurants went under, i found out the news by showing up hungry at their door and finding it locked. apparently some of the posters in this thread would prefer that the owner email everyone a month in advance with an offer for a free last meal to say thanks for not being a profitable customer base.
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03-01-2011 , 10:16 AM
was it Charles Mulligan's Steakhouse?
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03-01-2011 , 10:22 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by crockpot
the last time one of my favorite restaurants went under, i found out the news by showing up hungry at their door and finding it locked. apparently some of the posters in this thread would prefer that the owner email everyone a month in advance with an offer for a free last meal to say thanks for not being a profitable customer base.
It's hardly a free last meal, these people have balances in matchbook. I'm not even affected by this indirect theft.
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03-01-2011 , 10:29 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by crockpot
the last time one of my favorite restaurants went under, i found out the news by showing up hungry at their door and finding it locked. apparently some of the posters in this thread would prefer that the owner email everyone a month in advance with an offer for a free last meal to say thanks for not being a profitable customer base.
Yea except they didn't go under, they were sold to new management.

And I just bought a $40 gift card, which they are charging $35 to have it converted to cash.

And they now have "dun allow ur kind in hear anemore" posted in the window.
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03-01-2011 , 11:48 AM
I can't believe how many people are complaining about the $35 fee or the CC option. Go over to SBR and see how many people are still waiting for money from WSEX and they're a book still operating in this country and taking new deposits. If this is that big of an issue you shouldn't have money in any offshore shop.

I say kudos to the new matchbook ownership for working through this, bigger props if everyone gets their money.
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03-01-2011 , 11:51 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by LogistX
I don't doubt ClockWyze, but I'm a generally cautious person. I also suggest that the new Matchbook coordinate with the old Matchbook.
When I called Matchbook, they told me to call the number that ClockWyze gave. lol.
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03-01-2011 , 12:34 PM
1) Company wants to buy MB
2) Company realizes they can't have US customers, so they tell MB to cash out all US customers as part of sale agreement
3) MB cashes out all US customers
3) Company completes purchase of MB

Why was this not the method?
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03-01-2011 , 12:35 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by crockpot
the last time one of my favorite restaurants went under, i found out the news by showing up hungry at their door and finding it locked. apparently some of the posters in this thread would prefer that the owner email everyone a month in advance with an offer for a free last meal to say thanks for not being a profitable customer base.
I can't tell if this is a level/trolling or not
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