The Black Cats thrashed Newcastle in the 3-0 win at St James’s Park on Saturday she scooped £760 with a winning bet – or so she thought.
The 43-year-old from Whiteleas, South Shields, had placed a £2 bet with William Hill, in Ocean Road, South Shields, on Friday, predicting that her team would win and that winger Adam Johnson would score at “anytime” during the match at odds of 380/1.
But when she went to collect her winnings on Monday, she was told that it was never a valid bet.
Alison Barber: “I couldn’t believe it when they said it wasn’t a valid bet. The cashier took payment for it and gave me my receipt, that’s valid in my book.
“I was thrilled to bits when Sunderland won and I was even more excited knowing that I’d won a decent amount as well.
“Needless to say, I was livid when I was told I couldn’t have my winnings.
“The bet’s there in black and white on the betting slip for everyone to see.”
After the Gazette got in touch with the bookmakers, a spokesman said that the advertised odds were, in fact, for the first scorer and the correct score.
But William Hill said the company would still pay out despite the error.
A spokesman said: “We do not actually offer anytime scorer/correct score prices. If we did, the price would be much shorter than 380/1.
“The 380/1 was the price for first scorer/correct score.
“The market is not a market we usually offer but, on this occasion, due to the error on our part, we are more than happy to pay out.”
Alison Barber: “I’ll have to go to Wembley. Now I just need to make sure I manage to get a ticket.”