Bovada dispute

I am disputing some fees that I got hit with at Bovada, which were not apparent from the website. I did not sign up through the link on this site, so I am not requesting the Wiz's mediation offer, but since they are a well-known, reputable online casino I thought I would post about the interaction here. Below is my email along with the screenshots, edited for personal information of course.

Quote: Misleading payout options and fees on Bovada website

Hello,

Recently I deposited money into my Bovada account, placed some wagers,
and am now in the process of receiving a payout. I would like to
dispute the $60 fee that I was charged for my rapid transfer payout,
and also bring to your attention multiple deficiencies on the
bovada.lv website.

Issue #1
When initiating a Rapid Transfer deposit, the website clearly states
that the payout will be via check. See attached, annotated screenshot
'rapid_transfer_check.gif.' However, when I began the process for a
payout, I discovered that a payout was only available via Rapid
Transfer, which is in direct contradiction to the stated terms on the
website.

Issue #2
When initiating a Rapid Transfer payout, there are no fees stated.
Please see attached, annotated screenshot 'payout_fees.gif.' On the
Rapid Transfer payout page, a message is displayed saying "Fees: see
chart below." However, there is no chart displayed below, and the
customer is not notified of any fees associated with the Rapid
Transfer payout.

For these reasons, I am requesting a credit of $60 for the fee that
was levied against my account for the Rapid Transfer payout, and if
the fees and restrictions I encountered are the standard operating
procedure for Rapid Transfer deposits and payouts, you would be
advised to update your website to accurately state all restrictions on
deposits/payouts, and corresponding fees.

Thank you for your time,
[Name redacted]
Account #[redacted]

rapid_transfer_check.gif (click for full-size):

payout_fees.gif (click for full size):

Good luck. Unfortunately, this seems to be par for the course when dealing with an online sportsbook.

Do you have a local bookie at your disposal? (assuming you are making sports wagers) And for horses, TwinSpires.com is great.

Quote: DanMahowny

Good luck. Unfortunately, this seems to be par for the course when dealing with an online sportsbook.

Do you have a local bookie at your disposal? (assuming you are making sports wagers) And for horses, TwinSpires.com is great.

Bovada seems to have a good reputation for this stuff though, which is why I'm hoping I can get some resolution.

I haven't looked for a local bookie, I'm sure there's one around, and I don't bet horses, but thanks for the advice.

The email response I got was clearly an automated response based on words in my email, as it said "We are sorry to hear that you are having difficulty depositing into your Bovada account..." which is clearly not the problem. They invited me to contact them via phone, so I'll be doing that...kind of annoying though that a real person wasn't able to look at my email, especially since the screenshots which are critical to my complaint are included there.

Ask Bodog Becky. But she's pretty busy this week with
more important business, don't get your hopes up.

Quote: EvenBob

Ask Bodog Becky. But she's pretty busy this week with
more important business, don't get your hopes up.

Really Bob, I am shocked to hear that.

Quote: AcesAndEights

The email response I got was clearly an automated response based on words in my email, as it said "We are sorry to hear that you are having difficulty depositing into your Bovada account..." which is clearly not the problem. They invited me to contact them via phone, so I'll be doing that...kind of annoying though that a real person wasn't able to look at my email, especially since the screenshots which are critical to my complaint are included there.

Hello. We'd like to help you get this situation taken care of. If this has not yet been resolved, please feel free to PM us your account number and we will be happy to look into this for you.

I am happy to report that Bovada saw my side of this story and credited my account with a $60 bonus to make up for the surprise fee, however they were sure to specify this is a one-time deal and reinforced that all RapidTransfer payouts are subject to a fee based on the amount of the payout. Hopefully they fix the website so that this is apparent to anyone initiating a RapidTransfer payout. The fees are noted in the Help section buried about 3 clicks deep, but the fees really should be stated clearly on the payout page itself.

Since I am ineligible for a check courier payout based on my location, Bovada seems very difficult to use for me. The RapidTransfer payouts have a maximum of $800, so to reclaim your account balance in excess of $800 you have to make multiple payouts, each subject to a $60 fee. Obviously this cuts into any profits you have made, or adds to any losses. Without the one free check courier payout per month, the site is impossible for me to use. Not sure if it just my state that precludes the use of the courier check, or if it's all of the US. I deposited $919 (no fee) to bet on the Oscars, won all the bets and made $207 for a balance of $1126, and now it's going to cost me $90 in fees to get the money back out.

Also, I know the fees for a MoneyGram transfer, and they are not as high as what Bovada is charging. For example, sending $900 person-to-person via MoneyGram carries a $20 fee, but getting the max $800 payout from Bovada carries a $60 fee....so it definitely appears that they are skimming off the top here. I'm not saying that's technically dishonest as they are free to increase their profit wherever they can, but it seems like an online casino/sportsbook should be able to make their profit from the house edge and the vig, and not juice up the financial fees as well.

Hopefully we'll have regulated above-the-board online gambling soon in the US...not holding by breath on that one.

It's not the US since I received a payout in California via courier from an offshore bank.

Aces what state are you in and do you know what states can not receive a couriered check?

If it is so easy to deposit the money. Why is it such a hassle to withdraw the money. Blows my mind.