DraftKings Sports Betting National Championship Faces Problems

  • DraftKings’ 2021 Sports Betting National Championship was marred by controversy.
  • Some players were limited in the amount of money they could wager.
  • The contest closed early and players will be reimbursed their entry fees.

WEEHAWKEN, N.J. - DraftKings’ Sports Betting National Championship has run into problems and will no longer be accepting entries.

The online sportsbook limited in terms of what bets gamblers could place and how much they could wager, throwing the integrity of the contest into question.

The event had a remarkable $10,000 buy-in, and these problems certainly aggravated players across the board.

Players Will Be Made Whole

DraftKings Sportsbook Director Johnny Avello has expressed a desire to make all of the contestants whole. His plan to do so involves making sure everyone who entered the contest will receive their entry fee back at the very least.

Those who were able to place bets and won those bets will continue playing in the contest without receiving any extra money.

Contest Closed Early

He also announced that the contest would close early, instead of closing at 6:00 p.m. EST on Saturday as was originally planned.

The event took place across 11 states but was headquartered in Weehawken, N.J., and many bettors made the journey. Avello notably did not mention any compensation for those who traveled for the event, drawing the ire of online gambling fans on Twitter.

The contest is now closed, and it seems as though Avello’s word is final on the matter, but this is a serious problem for the fledgling sports betting industry.

Building trust is important, and the 2019 edition of the championship was also marred by controversy as it took time to get bets graded so players found themselves unable to move bankrolls to wagers on later games.

The 2019 edition ended in a lawsuit, and it seems possible that the 2021 edition of the contest will as well.