Betting firm under fire as court throws out ‘Bot’ allegations amidst ₦900m payout row

​Social media erupted on Wednesday, May 13, following reports that a Nigerian court dismissed a lawsuit filed by a betting platform against its own customers regarding over ₦900 million in unpaid winnings.
​The controversy, which has dominated discussions on X (formerly Twitter), reached a boiling point as several users—who reported winning substantial sums only to have their accounts restricted or balances adjusted—took to the platform to vent their frustration.
​In its official statements and evidence shared online, SportyBet had previously alleged that the winnings were linked to “suspicious activities,” including the use of automated bots, foreign IP addresses, and coordinated platform manipulation. However, the online discourse escalated sharply after claims surfaced that the court dismissed the company’s legal action due to a lack of sufficient evidence to prove these allegations.
Many online users highlighted a recent history of technical disputes, including a class-action lawsuit following a platform outage during the UEFA Champions League group stages—an incident where users were unable to access bets or cash out for a full 90 minutes.
​As public scrutiny intensifies, screenshots of complaints from aggrieved customers continue to flood social media, placing further pressure on the company to address the mounting payout crisis.