Iowa man sues DraftKings for refusal to payout US$14 million
An Iowa man has sued DraftKings after the company refused a payout of more than US$14 million in winnings on bets made during the 2024 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Tournament, according to KCCI.
Nicholas Bavas placed a series of parlay bets in February 2024, predicting a range of outcomes based on the standings at the tournament’s close.
Inclement weather led the PGA Tour to halt play after just 54 holes, and final scores were settled by the leaderboard, matching Bavas’ initial bets.
According to his attorney, Ben Lynch, the five wagers would have paid him US$14.2 million had DraftKings cashed them. The wagers were accepted despite weather alerts and closely followed the tournament suspension schedule.
However, DraftKings later voided the bets pursuant to a provision granting it the right to void future bets after the final shot of an ongoing round. Bavas’ attorneys allege the operator unilaterally modified its rules, and none of the initial rules referred to multi-position parlay bets like his.
The PGA Tour released a statement on 4 February stating that the third round’s results were official, supporting Bavas’ contention that his bets needed to be settled.
DraftKings reaffirmed that its ‘Tournament Futures Winner’ clause gave them grounds for canceling the bets. The matter is now headed to court but has not yet been scheduled.
DraftKings was also recently reported to be facing legal challenges in Baltimore, alongside FanDuel. The pair are alleged to have violated Baltimore’s Consumer Protection Ordinance by enticing vulnerable gamblers with bonuses.
Dig deeper
2025/03/12: Iowa online sports betting handle hits over US$203 million in February 2025
2025/01/16: Iowa online sportsbooks generate US$258 million of handle in December
2025/04/07: DraftKings and FanDuel sued by Baltimore officials for exploiting bettors
2025/05/15: Lori Kalani outlines ambitious responsible gambling agenda for DraftKings and beyond
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