Enemuo Chigozie, a contractor, accused BigiBet, a betting company based in Ibadan, of not crediting him four months after his victory.

He told FIJ he observed BigiBet would not credit him on September 27 after he had won many bet tickets that accumulated to N357,000.

“I used to accumulate my winnings, so I hardly withdraw. In September, I tried to withdraw, but it showed ‘validated’, and till now, I haven’t been able to withdraw my money,” he told FIJ.

READ ALSO: After Staking Huge Amounts, Gamblers Can’t Withdraw Their Winnings from BigiBet — Since July

“When you request a withdrawal, they will validate it immediately, but that will be the end of it. Once the validation status appears, it will be hard for you to receive and even bet with your money.”

Validation means BigiBet has acknowledged that a user is ready to transfer their winnings to their bank accounts. But it ends there. The user would see the validation status for a long time, while their money remains inaccessible.

Chigozie is not alone. Since September 22, BigiBet has refused to pay his brother’s N237,500. Chigozie said he had called BigiBet customer care several times, but they would always pacify him and tell him to be patient.

“They always promise to resolve their payment issues, but they never keep it. Sometimes, they would tell stories. I am tired of their stories. I just want my money back,” he said.

READ ALSO: Two Months After Winning Sports Betting, Gambler Can’t Withdraw ₦226,000 From BigiBet

Eze Ejiofor, a businessman, told FIJ that he had had N1.3 million stuck in his BigiBet wallet for three months.

“On September 27 and October 10, 2021, I attempted to transfer my winnings into my bank account. Since then, it has been showing the validation status, but I have not received the money in my account,” Ejiofor said.

He said he had tried all he could to get BigiBet to pay him his winnings but to no avail.

“When I call them, they always plead with me. They have assured me several times that they will resolve their payment issues, but to date, nothing meaningful has been done,” he told FIJ.

Similarly, James Sodo, another BigiBet user, said he did not know why BigiBet was yet to credit him despite winning his stakes.

READ ALSO: After FIJ’s Story, BigiBet Releases Moneys Withheld From Customers

On November 17 and 21, Sodo won over ₦12,000 from two different bet tickets, but since then, he has not been able to withdraw the money.

“I have actually been patient, but this thing has been happening for a while now. I need my money,” he said.

Meanwhile, FIJ had reported several cases of BigiBet failing to pay successful gamblers in the past.

FIJ placed several calls to BigiBet, but they were not answered. At press time, a text message sent to them had not been responded to.