DraftKings Sued for $14.2M by Bettor Who Used Weather to Predict Winning Golfers
A gambler who accurately forecasted the top competitors in the 2024 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am tournament with a series of parlay bets is suing DraftKings for $14.2 million after the site denied the payout.
Nicholas Bavas, who lives in Dallas County, Iowa, analyzed weather forecasts to conclude that rain would probably reduce the length of the tournament taking place on California’s Monterey Peninsula.
On February 3, 2024, with the conclusion of the third round and adverse weather conditions endangering the final round, Bavas made five parlay bets on DraftKings with a total investment of $325. His selections mirrored the player rankings in the competition at that moment and featured tournament frontrunner Wyndham Clark as the final champion.
Rain Halts Game
On February 4, PGA Tour officials repeatedly postponed the expected start of the final round, eventually canceling play at 9:15 p.m. and stating that the current standings would be regarded as the tournament's conclusive results.
With no games on the last day, Bavas successfully hit all five parlays, accurately forecasting the top 20 finishers in the right sequence for an anticipated payout of $14.2 million.
Instead of showering Bavas with wealth, DraftKings “unilaterally nullified” all five wagers and returned his stakes. The sportsbook referenced a term in its conditions stating that any “futures bets” made after the last shot of what is later identified as the final round are canceled.
Bavas’ lawsuit claims that the rule is inapplicable to his wagers because they pertain to several players, rather than solely one “tournament winner.” The plaintiff contends that even if a portion of a wager were voidable, the remainder should have been settled at modified odds. The legal action claims that DraftKings inconsistently and retroactively enforced its own rules to evade a significant payout.
Fair-Weather Companion
Additionally, Bavas contends that had he lost the wager, DraftKings wouldn't have permitted him to nullify it or demand a refund, regardless of the weather's impact on the event — but since he won, DraftKings canceled the bets to evade disbursing the $14.2 million.
"When DraftKings makes an error or accepts a bet it should not have, or when unforeseen events occur that require an unanticipated large pay out by DraftKings, then it seems different rules apply,” argues the complaint.
The lawsuit claims DraftKings has breached its contract and violated consumer protection statutes.
Bavas wasn't the sole weather-wise bettor to gamble on a rain-reduced tournament, only to be hindered by DraftKings' terms and conditions. Numerous individuals turned to social media to voice their annoyance, as reported by Golf.com.
