Nevada Gambler Loses Bet Despite Bengals’ Winning Record Due to Canceled Game

A sports gambler in Nevada lost a dispute even though he made a winning bet on the NFL. Chad Manis, who lives in Las Vegas, wagered $3,000 that the Cincinnati Bengals would win more than 9.5 games in the 2022 season. The Bengals ended the season with a 12-4 record so Chad thought he had won. But Station Casinos, the sportsbook where he placed the bet, would not pay him pointing to their house rules.

Incomplete Season Voids Bengals Bet Despite 12 Wins

Based on these guidelines, a season win total bet requires a team to play all 17 games in the regular season. The Bengals though played 16 games in 2022. Their game on January 3, 2023, against the Buffalo Bills stopped during the first quarter because of a health crisis involving Bills’ safety Damar Hamlin, who had a heart attack on the field. The NFL did not reschedule the game and later said it was officially canceled.

Despite the Bengals winning 12 games, which seemed to make Manis’s bet successful, Station Casinos claimed the incomplete season voided the wager. The sportsbook’s rules state that when teams do not play all their scheduled games, bets are considered “no action.” This means the bettor gets their money back instead of receiving a payout.

Nevada Gaming Board Sides with Casino, Denies Bettor’s Appeal Over Voided NFL Bet

Manis challenged the casino’s ruling by taking his case to the Nevada Gaming Control Board. At first, an agent suggested the casino should give him the $3,000. However, the Board’s hearing examiner did not agree with this idea. He decided the house rules were easy to understand.

In a recent meeting, the Board backed the examiner’s choice. Board member George Assad explained they had to stick to the rules, which said all 17 games must be played, to keep things fair, reported CDC Gaming. He pointed out that while Manis felt let down, people who bet the Bengals would win fewer games would also get their money back because of this same rule.

Board Chair Kirk Hendrick backed up the Board’s position stressing that nobody won or lost in this situation. After the decision, Manis asked about his remaining legal choices showing his frustration that the first suggestion to pay his ticket had been reversed. Hendrick told him to talk to a lawyer to check out any other steps he could take to appeal.