Seal Loses Lucy's Light Episode

(and rightfullly so, its a disgrace it took till now)
This from Friday's Advertiser:
Bookie must pay sting winnings
By Dennis Markham
21jul06
LEADING Adelaide bookmaker Curly Seal says he is "shattered" by a ruling that now requires him to pay $374,000 to Sydney punter Eddie Hayson after a betting sting on a greyhound race at the Gold Coast eight months ago.
"I'm not shattered about the amount of money involved because I've had bigger losing bets," he said yesterday.
"I view this as a bad day at the office and paying out won't be a problem. I have said that from day one of this dispute.
"But I am shattered that the (Liquor and Gambling) Commissioner has come up with this ruling because my legal advice suggested we had a very strong case.
"Now I have to work out with my lawyers whether to appeal to the Independent Gambling Authority or simply pay Mr Hayson."
Seal was easily the hardest hit of a number of bookmakers who took bets on a greyhound race won by long odds-on favourite Lucy's Light.
Hayson and a friend, Steve Fletcher, manipulated the TAB dividend by backing the other five dogs in the race, which grossly inflated the odds about Lucy's Light from an opening $1.04 to $13.
Seal had an agreement to pay all bets at TAB odds (dividends).
Liquor and Gambling Commissioner Bill Pryor investigated the issue after a complaint by Seal and took legal argument from lawyers representing both the bookmaker and Hayson.
Late on Wednesday, he advised both parties, through their respective lawyers, of his decision in favour of Hayson.
Seal has 30 days in which to decide whether to appeal against the finding.
An Adelaide punter, who won $300,000 from Seal on the same race, owed that amount to the bookmaker from previous losing bets.
His account was given a nil balance but Seal reserved the right to claim the loss back if the Commissioner ruled in his favour.
This from Friday's Advertiser:
Bookie must pay sting winnings
By Dennis Markham
21jul06
LEADING Adelaide bookmaker Curly Seal says he is "shattered" by a ruling that now requires him to pay $374,000 to Sydney punter Eddie Hayson after a betting sting on a greyhound race at the Gold Coast eight months ago.
"I'm not shattered about the amount of money involved because I've had bigger losing bets," he said yesterday.
"I view this as a bad day at the office and paying out won't be a problem. I have said that from day one of this dispute.
"But I am shattered that the (Liquor and Gambling) Commissioner has come up with this ruling because my legal advice suggested we had a very strong case.
"Now I have to work out with my lawyers whether to appeal to the Independent Gambling Authority or simply pay Mr Hayson."
Seal was easily the hardest hit of a number of bookmakers who took bets on a greyhound race won by long odds-on favourite Lucy's Light.
Hayson and a friend, Steve Fletcher, manipulated the TAB dividend by backing the other five dogs in the race, which grossly inflated the odds about Lucy's Light from an opening $1.04 to $13.
Seal had an agreement to pay all bets at TAB odds (dividends).
Liquor and Gambling Commissioner Bill Pryor investigated the issue after a complaint by Seal and took legal argument from lawyers representing both the bookmaker and Hayson.
Late on Wednesday, he advised both parties, through their respective lawyers, of his decision in favour of Hayson.
Seal has 30 days in which to decide whether to appeal against the finding.
An Adelaide punter, who won $300,000 from Seal on the same race, owed that amount to the bookmaker from previous losing bets.
His account was given a nil balance but Seal reserved the right to claim the loss back if the Commissioner ruled in his favour.