Massachusetts Gaming Commission rule Draftkings can void 178 bets.

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Miscommunication led to incorrect odds on a wager involving LeBron James, among others, and prop bets for the Oct. 24 game between the Lakers and Nuggets. For LeBron, his totals were listed at 8.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 6.5 assists.

DraftKings said those numbers were meant to reflect first-quarter totals rather than the whole game. James finished with enough points and rebounds to clear both incorrect lines.

The odds in question were live for only 13 minutes during the day, but 138 bettors and 178 wagers took advantage of the mistake. A total handle of $4,182.36 resulted from the parlays, and DraftKings lost $575,436.


The Massachusetts Gaming Commission met Thursday and ultimately voted in favor of DraftKings by a margin of 3-2. It means that DraftKings will not have to pay the $575,336 in total winnings.


Full Story: https://www.sportsbookreview.com/new...odds-dec-2023/

[jobie]

Would you expect anything different from a "Gaming Commission" - whose interests are directly aligned with the sportsbook operators; and who likely never placed a wager in their life. In the absence of player advocacy groups, stories like this will (and have) become all too common.

That said, given DK's history I'm surprised they didn't take the tact of leveraging their error for marketing clout while simultaneously limiting all accounts that took advantage of their error.

[LongBall52]

If I read it correctly they also ruled that the players involved be compensated 300% for their wager.

I'm guessing a lot of them knew this was an incorrect line, but that doesn't make it right

[djefferis]

What’s a half million to DK?

I get it though - it’s more a “precedent” thing than a real concern. If they pay today voluntarily- they basically waive that defense in the future on a mistake.

They protest - win and are forced to pay a token amount to bettors - bettors are better off today than yesterday knowingly betting into a bad line - and book gets off the hook cheap and retains that defense in case they screw up big in the future.

I would be curious to see what else was bet in those parlays played - guessing a few covered all the bases possible in 2-3 teamers and cashed big.

[Optional]

Also interesting was that the vote only passed by 3-2

Which means in Massachusetts they do not consider an obvious (palpable) error to be an automatic excuse to void.

[djefferis]

It’s Massachusetts- where going against common sense is a way of life.

I thought New Jersey was a stupid in their laws and the bureaucratic hell they make everything - then I started having to deal with MA. Jesus they do nothing simple up there - and the corruption is worse than NJ.

They also manage to tax just about anything imaginable - visited once and that was enough for this lifetime.

[tennelson55]

Never a fair shake down

[newton0038]

So if a posted line is not what should be posted, what makes any line valid? Can I argue the line juice should be +101 not -110???

DK posted a line AND took wagers on said line....pay the man his money! If the 300% compensation is true, they did not get away with freerolling the player.

[Brooklyn Dick]

In the Dominican Republic where there are hundreds of Sportsbooks if you have a ticket from a licensed book it could say Lebron James over 1 Pt. They have to pay it. If not you take the ticket to the Hacienda in SD and the book is notified to pay or they lose their license and will be shut down. In short if they put up a line and take the bet they MUST PAY.

[Optional]

In the Dominican Republic where there are hundreds of Sportsbooks if you have a ticket from a licensed book it could say Lebron James over 1 Pt. They have to pay it. If not you take the ticket to the Hacienda in SD and the book is notified to pay or they lose their license and will be shut down. In short if they put up a line and take the bet they MUST PAY.

And I bet DR books rarely make mistakes with that rule in place!

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DraftKings In Regulatory Trouble In Home-State Massachusetts

According to Eileen O’Brien, Massachusetts Gaming Board, the DraftKings error was more than a slip-up. “For me, this is egregious. It needs to be an adjudicatory hearing. I just would add that this is a violation of the statute. Not just the regs — the statute,” she said.

Full Story: https://www.sportsbookreview.com/new...s-dec-15-2023/

[rentongfb]

is there any other legal options for the bettors in this case?

[Natty68]

It’s Massachusetts- where going against common sense is a way of life.

I thought New Jersey was a stupid in their laws and the bureaucratic hell they make everything - then I started having to deal with MA. Jesus they do nothing simple up there - and the corruption is worse than NJ.

They also manage to tax just about anything imaginable - visited once and that was enough for this lifetime.

No truer words have ever been spoken