OddsMonkey got rapped for matched betting blog

Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) of the UK has ordered OddsMonkey, a UK based company that claims it helps bettors with what it calls “matched betting,” developed using a custom-made software, to remove a blog that boosted its matched betting services.

The blog, titled “Ben’s Matched Betting Diary,” showed many dates from the previous month, on which the author made profits.

Each post contained a link that sent readers to a list setting out bets that had been placed that day and the amount of profit.

The ASA said it got a single complaint about the diary, challenging whether the diary featured a fictional character, as well as if the impression that similar profits were achievable in a real-life situation was misleading and could be substantiated.

The ASA upheld the complaint, saying consumers “would expect the level of success described in the diary to be typical of the success they were likely to be able to achieve when using OddsMonkey’s service.”

The regulatory body also said OddsMonkey needed to hold evidence that showed consumers were likely to be able to achieve similar success over a similar time period.

However, the ASA said OddsMonkey did not supply “adequate evidence” to show the level of success outlined in the blog was typical of a customer using the firm’s services.

As a result, the ASA ruled the advert must not appear in its current form again.

The ASA also noted that it has informed OddsMonkey “not to make claims about the level of profits members were likely to be able to achieve, and for how long that would be sustained, unless they held adequate substantiation.”