**An Iowa Man Sues DraftKings for $14.2M After It Voids His Winning Golf Bets Based on a Weather-Shortened Tournament**
Nicholas Bavas, from Dallas County, placed a bet of just $325 on five golf parlays during the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. His strategy was not based on chance; instead, Bavas utilized weather forecasts to predict that rain would shorten the tournament.
His predictions were spot-on, as his picks aligned with the leaderboard at the conclusion of the third round, which was declared the official result after the final round was canceled due to significant rainfall. With all five parlays successful, Bavas was in position to win a staggering $14.2 million.
However, rather than disbursing the winnings, DraftKings chose to void the bets and refunded Bavas’s initial stake. This decision was based on a rule stipulating that futures bets placed after what turns out to be the final round are invalid.
**Bavas Disagrees:**
“When DraftKings makes a mistake or accepts a bet it shouldn’t have, or when unforeseen events occur that necessitate a large unanticipated payout by DraftKings, then it seems different rules apply.”
Bavas is not the only bettor affected by this decision; DraftKings also voided bets for other gamblers who anticipated the weather disruption and made similar predictions. This has led to another lawsuit against the company under customer protection laws. DraftKings has frequently been involved in legal disputes with its players. For instance, a group of Pennsylvania gamblers recently filed a lawsuit against DraftKings, accusing the company of using misleading promotions targeted at users with gambling addictions.