Gardener celebrates £1m win against Paddy Power

Corinne and Colin Durber plan to buy a racehorse with their winnings

A woman from Gloucestershire who is celebrating a £1m victory against betting giant Paddy Power after a five-year legal battle plans to buy a racehorse, she says.

Corinne Durber, a gardener from Tetbury, won the jackpot on the Wild Hatter game via Paddy Power's app in October 2020.

However, instead of receiving her full prize, she was paid just £20,265 after the company claimed there had been a technical error.

Now, following a High Court ruling in her favour, Mrs Durber will finally receive the full £1,097,132.71 jackpot.

Speaking after the verdict, she and her husband Colin expressed their relief.

Mr Durber said: "It's been five years of emotional stress because Corinne hasn't been able to sleep properly.

"It's always been on her mind: 'If I had received it five years ago, I could have done this, that, or the other.'"

After spinning a jackpot wheel, Mrs Durber's iPad displayed that she had won a "Monster Jackpot" worth more than £1m.

"And I was quick-witted enough to take a screenshot," she recalled.

"Then money started to come into my account - but only £20,000."

Determined to fight for what she had rightfully won, Mrs Durber pursued legal action, citing her deep family ties to betting.

"My grandad was the biggest bookie in Bristol - it must be in our blood. My father took over the business, he loved horse racing, and I was brought up on a racetrack."

Mr and Mrs Durber celebrated their win outside of the High Court on Wednesday

In court, Paddy Power argued that the "big win" message was a result of a computer glitch.

However, Mr Justice Ritchie ruled in Mrs Durber's favor, emphasizing that the principle of "what you see is what you get" is fundamental to online gaming.

Mrs Durber said she planned to use her winnings to pay off her children's mortgages and she also had a special tribute in mind for the case - naming her racehorse Wizziwig (WYSIWYG, or "What You See Is What You Get").

Peter Coyle, the lawyer who represented Mrs Durber, called the win a significant moment for gamblers.

"Corinne's not the only one. There will be others in similar situations who are legally in the right. But do they take on the might of a betting giant for five years, or do they settle for the lesser amount these companies decide they should have? It's a difficult dilemma."

'Deep regret'

Following the ruling, a spokesperson from Paddy Power said:

"Every week, tens of thousands of customers win with Paddy Power, including an individual who received a £5.7m jackpot just last year.

"We always strive to provide the best customer experience possible and pride ourselves on fairness. We deeply regret this unfortunate case and are reviewing the judgment."

As for Mrs Durber, Wizziwig will serve as a lasting reminder of her hard-fought victory.