An online gambler has been given the backing of Michigan’s Supreme Court as she pursues a $3.1 million claim against sports betting and gaming entertainment giant BetMGM.
Jacqueline Davis has been given the green light to fight for her disputed multi-million dollar online gambling winnings in trial court after a 7-0 unanimous decision in her favour.
How Can You Win More Than $3 Million From BetMGM?
Davis claims that in March 2021, she embarked on a successful six-day streak playing BetMGM’s Luck o’ the Roulette.
Having originally wagered $4.50 she eventually amassed a hefty $3.2 million in winnings.
Michigan Supreme Court Justice Brian Zahra described the run in his 26-page opinion as: “In gambler’s parlance, plaintiff went on a ‘heater’ of epic magnitude.”
Davis says that she was able to withdraw $100,000 of her $3.2 million winnings at MGM Grand casino in Detroit, but shortly after the BetMGM Casino Operation Team suspended her online account, citing “an improbable balance associated with Ms Davis’s account”.
Court records show that BetMGM claimed that the game had malfunctioned and that Davis should not have been paid out.
“They say it malfunctioned, but they really don’t have much evidence as to what actually happened,” said attorney Mark Granzotto, who is representing Davis in her appeals.
What Is BetMGM’s Luck o’ the Roulette Game?
BetMGM is a well-respected brand in the online gaming, casino and sports betting markets.
Luck o’ the Roulette is an Irish-themed game with a return to player rate of 95.39%.
It requires a 10-cent minimum bet and has a maximum bet limit of $25.
Players can win up to 100 times their original bet on each play.
Can Jacqueline Davis Win Her Case?
There are previous cases involving companies who have stated that software or mechanical glitches have been responsible for erroneous payouts.
In April 2021 a 54-year-old online casino player in the UK won a High Court action against Betfred, in a legal battle over a jackpot win of £1.7 million ($2.3 million).
Betfred originally claimed that a software error was to blame for an incorrect payout, although the online gaming and sportsbook firm did originally offer gambler Andy Green £60,000 as a goodwill gesture if he dropped his case.
Betfred did not appeal against the High Curt ruling and honoured the payout.
Davis originally filed a complaint against BetMGM in Wayne County Circuit Court in June 2021, alleging claims of fraud, conversion and breach of contract.
BetMGM counter argued that any disputes involving patrons should be resolved by the Michigan Gaming Control Board MGCB).
A three-judge appeals court agreed with a 2-1 ruling and dismissed the case on June 29, 2022.
However, Davis’s application to the MGCB was also rejected as the state board said it could only make recommendations for a casino to correct violations, not make definitive rulings in disputes.
Michigan Court of Appeals affirmed the original decision to dismiss the case in September 23 with another 2-1 decision, after which Judge Kathleeen Feeney said in her dissent: “By denying plaintiff a forum by which to pursue her claim of unpaid winnings, the majority’s decision lends a new meaning to the old gambling adage that the House always wins.”
After this Supreme Court unanimous ruling in Davis’s favour, the case will return to Wayne County Circuit.
Jim Munro is a betting industry and gambling expert who has been a national newspaper journalist for over 25 years, predominantly at The Sunday Times and The Sun, where he wrote a weekly soccer betting column. Jim also worked on the launch of Virgin Bet with Gamesys and was subsequently head of editorial at LiveScore, the sports media and betting group.
