A losing $2 parlay wager from a sports bettor in Massachusetts resulted in a $15,000 fine for sportsbook Fanatics after one of the parlay legs included an in-state college basketball game.
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) handed down the fine on Thursday, May 11 in a general meeting. Fanatics acknowledged that it had broken the rules against betting on Massachusetts college sports teams from within the state, and accepted the fine.
The parlay bet was, in fact, a loser. But Fanatics canceled the illegal part when it was identified prior to the Boston College basketball game being played.
“The IB [Investigative Bureau of the MGC] is presenting its recommendation that the commission present a civil administrative penalty to the amount of $15,000 upon FGB Enterprises, or Fanatics Betting and Gaming,” said MGC investigator Zachary Mercer during the MGC’s monthly open meeting last week.
“During the review, no additional information was uncovered that would materially change the nature of the noncompliance, as reported by FBG. FBG was responsive and communicative throughout the process, and is in agreement with the IB’s recommendation.”
The Wager and Fine
The offending $2 wager was originally placed on December 13, 2023, by a Massachusetts sports bettor. The parlay bet was split over five legs, one of which was a Boston University men’s basketball game later that week.
Fanatics caught the error before any of the parlay bet’s matches began, and canceled that leg of the bet. The bettor was not refunded, but would still win the bet if the allowed parts came in. As it happens, the rest of the bet went on to lose.
The sportsbook then self-reported the incident to the regulator on February 1. The MGC last week voted to approve the motion under the recommendation of the IB to fine Fanatics $15,000 over the incident.
This wasn’t the first time that Fanatics has been in such trouble. The operator was also fined $10,000 by the MGC earlier this year over a similar mistake.
Fines for mistakenly taken bets are a relatively regular occurrence across legal U.S. sports betting markets. In a more egregious incident in recent weeks in New Jersey, leading sportsbook FanDuel was fined $2,000 and forced to settle more than $100,000 in bets after it took dozens of wagers on an MMA event that had already taken place.
David is an online casino expert who specializes in online slots and boasts over 10 years experience writing about iGaming. He has written for a wide range of notable publications, including eSports Insider and WordPlay Magazine.
David graduated Derby University with a BA Degree in English Literature and Creative Writing.
