Highlanders hooker Anton Oliver, and not Taine Randell, scored the side's only try against the Blues in the Super 12 match at Carisbrook on Friday night.
TAB sports bookmaker Kevin Gutschlag was advised by the New Zealand Rugby Union on Monday that Oliver was the official try scorer.
The confirmation left a red-faced TAB with no option but to also pay out for Oliver as a try scorer in the match. Tickets for Randell also remained valid.
The Highlanders' second-half try stemmed from a rolling maul that collapsed over the Blues' line.
It appeared Oliver, the last to his feet and carrying the ball, had scored the try, but the TAB, apparently on the advice of the NZRU, credited the try to Randell.
Dunedin resident Avon Robertson placed $5 on Anton Oliver - paying $6 in fixed-dividend betting - to score a try during the match.
He visited a local TAB, fully expecting to collect $30, but was instead told his ticket was useless.
Gutschlag said the TAB had checked with the NZRU on Friday before paying out.
Yesterday, he said the confirmation had actually come from Sky rugby commentator Grant Nisbett, who is also in charge of TAB sports betting.
The referee was not sure who had scored, but Randell claimed the try in a post-match interview, Gutschlaghe said.
He said the TAB was "under pressure" to pay out and went with Randell as the try scorer.
He conceded that the error reflected badly on the TAB and, in hindsight, it should have paid out on both players and "taken the hit."
It was earlier estimated about $5000 was paid on Randell as the try scorer, with a similar amount expected on Oliver.
Anyone who placed a bet on Oliver but discarded their ticket could write to the TAB, outlining how much they had invested and where they placed their bet. The TAB's computers would be able to verify the bet.
"We will pay out on Oliver tickets. Those who bet on Randell will get a little bonus," Gutschlag said.
Robertson said he was delighted justice had prevailed. "I knew they had got it wrong. I thought it was pretty obvious Oliver had scored the try."
- NZPA
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