The New Orleans Saints will not forgive the NFL anytime soon for the missed pass interference call that cost them a trip to Super Bowl 53, but some of their New Jersey-based betting supporters might not feel so bad. Recently-launched sportsbook operator PointsBet.com is offering a one-time “Good Karma Payout” refund to anybody who bet on the Saints moneyline or spread.
New Jersey sportsbook offers one-time refund after Saints-Rams referee controversy
Some NFL bettors are actually getting their money back over this one.
Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
PointsBet started in Australia and launched a little over a week ago in New Jersey. They offer what they call “Good Karma Payouts”, which are one-time decisions by the company that they say, “provides bettors relief in the event of unlikely events that sway the fate of the game.”
It’s safe to say that missed pass interference call swayed the fate of the game. The Saints had other opportunities, including on that same drive, to put this game away, but the pass interference call will stand out for Saints fans for as long as most of them live.
Missed penalties are not unlikely events in the NFL, but the egregious nature of the missed DPI seems unlikely to most. NFL referees are flawed and make mistakes, but it is difficult to figure out how they blew such an important call so badly. There is talk of the league making pass interference reviewable, although there has been push-back on that in the past.
Most sportsbooks do not offer this kind of refund in part because bad calls are part of the gamble you make when you bet on sports. However, this is not the first time a sportsbook operator has offered a payout or refund as a way to generate some good publicity.
FanDuel paid out all futures bets on Alabama to win the national title after they won the SEC Championship Game. This came over a month before a National Title game they lost, and even before they had even played the CFP semifinal game. FanDuel said it would cost them $40,000 in straight-up bets, and up to $400,000 in bets that parlayed Alabama winning the national title.
FanDuel said they did this because, “it wanted to reward its customers for betting on a team with odds that actually difficult to win money.” Alabama was a heavy favorite at all sportsbooks for much of the season, and particularly heading into the CFP playoff.
So why did FanDuel do this with Alabama, and why is PointsBet doing this for the Saints loss? Both have entered a quickly growing sports betting market in New Jersey — one of eight states that currently allows sports betting. As the market saturates with new operators, each one is looking for a way to stand out from the crowd. Online sportsbook operators already offer bonuses for joining them, and will continue to do so given the regularly high return for the house. FanDuel and PointsBet are taking this to another level in hopes of building a loyal following willing to hand over their money on a regular basis.
