Scottish independence: Betfair pay out on ‘No’ vote
Opinion polls ahead of this week’s referendum suggest that the contest is too close to call, with a poll of polls by the What Scotland Thinks website giving the ‘No’ camp a two per cent lead over ‘Yes’, 51 to 49.
Betfair is paying out to gamblers who have placed bets on a ‘No’ vote directly with the company’s sportsbook - those who have used the company’s betting exchange are unaffected.
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Hide AdIn a statement released on their Twitter account, Betfair wrote: “We are paying out on all Sportsbook bets on no in the Scottish independence referendum.
“Thanks to the accuracy of the data available on our exchange, we’ve decided that ‘no’ is the most likely outcome in three days time.”
Earlier reports suggest Betfair has taken just under £3 million in Scottish bets on the referendum, while more than £2 million has been wagered with rival William Hill.
Bookmakers will normally only pay out before an event takes place if they consider the result to be a foregone conclusion, hoping that the publicity generated can prompt more betting by their customers.