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Bet on German Train Delays

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Re: Bet on German Train Delays

#161

Post by [deleted] »

ozgune wrote: post #104
maxeda wrote: post #80

> In January 2026, Germany's federal court ruled that purchasing a Deutsche Bahn ticket constitutes a form of gambling (Glücksspiel), citing that “the probability of arriving on time is statistically comparable to a coin flip.” > Rather than contest the ruling, DBSM embraced it. If riding our trains is gambling, then passengers deserve the right to hedge. > BahnBet is our answer: a platform where you can bet against…

I'll save everyone a web search. This is satire and there isn't any such German federal court ruling. It also speaks to the world that we live in these days - I'm having a hard time separating satire from reality.

[deleted]

Re: Bet on German Train Delays

#162

Post by ginkgotree »

It's unfortunate what happened to DB over the years. I last rode a DB fast train in 2018. We just stopped in the middle of a field for no announced reason for 70 minutes. I missed my international flight home as a result. I haven't rode the DB since, and hear it has only gotten worse.

Re: Bet on German Train Delays

#164

Post by mft_ »

ginkgotree wrote: post #162

It's unfortunate what happened to DB over the years. I last rode a DB fast train in 2018. We just stopped in the middle of a field for no announced reason for 70 minutes. I missed my international flight home as a result. I haven't rode the DB since, and hear it has only gotten worse.

I was on a lovely fast smooth ICE Sprinter to Berlin last week. All was going well until they announced that the train would terminate at Erfurt (roughly half way) because… who knows?!

These days, a DB journey that doesn’t involve some sort of disruption is the outlier.

Re: Bet on German Train Delays

#165

Post by bulbar »

raincole wrote: post #100
bulbar wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Contrary to what crypto currency enthusiasts believe, having inflation (most of the time) is the only feasible and sane way for an economy. Why ever do anything at all with your money, ever, otherwise? Except for basic needs.

Saving is not 'not doing anything at all with your money.' Saving is lending your money to a generally low risk debtor, called bank.

In a deflation based economy as invisioned by crypto currency enthusiasts, there is no incentive to lend your money to anybody. Neither a private person nor banks would have strong incentives to do that, because you have a guaranteed increase of value if you just sit on your money.

No investments would take place because of that.

Re: Bet on German Train Delays

#167

Post by zokier »

palata wrote: post #157
throw899832 wrote: post #150

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> A nice thing about the Deutsche Bahn is that they exist. It's not the case in every country in the world. EU does not have a train monopoly. There are other train companies in Germany (FlixTrain, OBB, BRB...). And operators from other countries can also operate there, even French SNCF! DB is blocking slots on rail, that could be used by other operators. And they are not going to change because it is Germany.

My opinion is that trains are a natural monopoly, they should belong to the government. Fine if some trains go through it (e.g. a TGV between Paris and Berlin).

I can see rails being natural monopoly, but trains?

Re: Bet on German Train Delays

#168

Post by frenchman_in_ny »

I get it that this is satire, and that they're giving DB a hard time about their constant delays -- but on the other hand there's EU Regulation 261/2004 for compensation for delayed flights. I just found out about EU Regulation 2021/782 on delayed trains, but basically it's not "a thing"?

Re: Bet on German Train Delays

#169

Post by looperhacks »

Aldipower wrote: post #65

Oh man, det er virkelig rigtigt sjovt!!! :-D "Jurisdiction notice For legal reasons, all BahnBet users, their devices, and their emotional baggage are hereby classified as legal residents of Schleswig-Holstein, the only German state where gambling is fully permitted. This is non-negotiable. By creating an account, you have moved to Schleswig-Holstein. Your new postal code is 24103. You now speak rudimentary Danish."

This is a reference to the weird situation that Schleswig Holstein was really the only state that allowed gambling until 2021 (there were exceptions). Every (legal) online gambling platform officially required you to be from Schleswig Holstein, otherwise, you were not permitted to join.

Of course, this went exactly as you'd think. However, since 2021, you can get a gambling license in all of Germany.

Fun fact: Since it's illegal to gamble with a non-licensed provider, using international platforms like polymarket can get you in trouble.

Re: Bet on German Train Delays

#170

Post by looperhacks »

frenchman_in_ny wrote: post #168

I get it that this is satire, and that they're giving DB a hard time about their constant delays -- but on the other hand there's EU Regulation 261/2004 for compensation for delayed flights. I just found out about EU Regulation 2021/782 on delayed trains, but basically it's not "a thing"?

There is compensation for delayed DB trains, but it might not be what you hope for :D

60 min delay: 25% (or 100% if you abort your travel) 120 min delay: 50% Furthermore, your ticket is usually unlocked for all trains in case of delay, not just the one you booked. So you can find alternatives and maybe even upgrade (you won't have a seat reservation though).

There's also up to 120€ for overnight-stay or other forms of transportation in select cases (when you won't be able to reach your destination before some time)

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