Licensed Betting Site Faces Controversy Over Incorrect Bet Settlement for MLS Match

A score recording error involving the Major League Soccer (MLS) match between San Diego FC and Nashville SC has sparked a wave of controversy over the bet settlement process at Batman, South Korea’s official sports betting provider.

The game in question, held on the 26th (Korean time), originally ended with a 1:0 result. However, immediately following the final whistle, the score was mistakenly displayed as 2:0 for a short period, before being revised back to 1:0 in accordance with the referee’s decision.

The confusion reportedly arose when an attacker, unaware that the final whistle had been blown during stoppage time, proceeded to score. The goal was briefly recorded, only to be invalidated upon review.

Both the official MLS website and the clubs’ channels subsequently updated their records to the correct final score of 1:0.

Despite this, Batman, the operator of the national Sports Toto lottery, processed the bet settlement based on the temporary 2:0 score, triggering a flood of user complaints.

According to a user’s report following a call to Batman’s customer service, the company responded, “At the time, the official MLS website displayed the score as 2:0, and our regulations require that settlement is based on the information provided by the league organizer. Therefore, regardless of any subsequent corrections, the initial settlement cannot be changed.”

A Batman representative further stated, “Internally, there is no justification for additional meetings or modifying the outcome of this match.”

When the user indicated plans to share the call details with others, the Batman representative reportedly replied, “That is your prerogative.”

The incident has drawn intense criticism, as Batman finalized bet settlements based on a temporary, incorrect score, even after the official result was corrected. Users also point out that the company has maintained silence, offering no announcement to clarify the discrepancy, leaving bettors in the dark and leading to disputes among themselves.

Notably, while major international betting companies have all recognized 1:0 as the final result, Batman stands alone in settling at 2:0, further fueling the controversy.

Sports Toto is a government-designated gambling service issued by the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation and managed under commission by its subsidiary, Korea Sports Leisure. Fairness, reliability, and information accuracy are considered core principles in the management of such state-sanctioned services.

In light of this case, there are mounting calls for clear policy improvements regarding the handling of score recording errors and the subsequent incorporation of official score amendments.

Note “This article was translated from the original Korean version using AI assistance, and subsequently edited by a native-speaking journalist.”

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