FanDuel Faces Backlash Over $2.2M MLB Parlay Loss Rumors

A Viral Parlay Sparks Controversy

The winning bet, capped by a home run from James Wood of the Washington Nationals against the San Diego Padres, reportedly netted one tipster $100,000 from an $11 wager, with subscribers who followed the pick contributing to the sportsbook’s hefty payout.

Social media, particularly X, erupted with claims that FanDuel swiftly changed its terms and conditions to limit future payouts, igniting accusations of unfair practices.

The controversy began when a post, attributed to a New Jersey-based FanDuel VIP representative, claimed the company updated its rules to allow voiding bets placed by “groups acting in conjunction” or accounts used for “business purposes.”

Users on X pointed to the irony, noting that FanDuel promotes celebrity-endorsed parlays, like those from Rob Gronkowski, while seemingly cracking down on bettors sharing picks. One user remarked, “It’s fine when FanDuel posts ‘Gronk’s SGP,’ but not when regular bettors win big together?”

FanDuel’s Response and Clarifications

FanDuel quickly pushed back against the rumors. The company’s customer service team clarified that the terms in question, clauses 15.2.5 on business usage and 8.13 on voiding bets suspected of fraud, have been standard across all states where FanDuel operates since at least 2020.

“Sports betting is more fun with friends, and something we embrace,” FanDuel stated, emphasizing that no bets tied to the parlay were voided in New Jersey. The June 24 terms update, which coincided with the parlay’s success, was pre-scheduled and only addressed a new mailing address and a clause about athlete harassment, prompted by an earlier incident involving Olympic champion Gabby Thomas.

The sportsbook confirmed all winning bets were paid in full, with a $1 million cap per bet as outlined in its long-standing rules. FanDuel invited users to submit specific cases if they believed they were unfairly impacted, aiming to quell the uproar.

Industry outlet SportsBettingDime.com supported FanDuel’s stance, reporting that the rumored rule changes were baseless and that the terms cited were already in place to address fraudulent activity, not collaborative betting.