The Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) approved a request to void futures bets on the Boston Celtics from a customer who had died. The request was made by the spouse of a deceased bettor who placed the wagers at DraftKings.
Key Takeaways
- Deceased bettor had $106K in futures bets on the Celtics to win the East and the NBA Finals.
- Massachusetts Gaming Commission unanimously approved request to void bets.
- The Celtics are currently favored to win the East, and own the second-shortest odds to win the NBA title.
The customer had placed nine NBA futures bets, totaling $106,100, on the Boston Celtics to win the 2025 NBA title and the Eastern Conference.
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission is now discussing a request from DraftKings to void nine pending NBA futures bets totaling $106,100, all of which is on the Boston Celtics.
— Geoff Zochodne (@GeoffZochodne) April 10, 2025
According to MGC, the DK bettor died and their spouse wants the bets voided. DK supportive of request. pic.twitter.com/EqBVbL7wLz
The spouse wanted the bets to be voided to facilitate the return of the money to their estate. DraftKings notified the MGC back on March 7 regarding a request from an attorney representing the spouse of the deceased account holder.
During Thursday's meeting, DraftKings requested that the wagers be voided pursuant to state regulation 205 CMR 238.35(2) on cancelled or voided wagers and confirmed that all necessary regulatory requirements had been met. The company also stated its belief that honoring such requests in exceptional circumstances strengthens public trust and upholds industry integrity.
The MGC did just that and ruled Thursday on the request by a 5-0 unanimous vote to void all the wagers.
The defending champion Celtics are 59-21 on the season and have won eight of their last 10 games. They've clinched the Atlantic Division and the second seed in the East entering the NBA playoffs.
The Celtics are currently favored at -130 at DraftKings to win the Eastern Conference and own the second-shortest odds to win the NBA title at +215, behind only the Oklahoma City Thunder at +165.
Boston has been kind to Massachusetts sports betting as of late and Friday should be no exception as the Celtics are 19.5-point favorites and a whopping -2,400 on the moneyline at DraftKings to defeat the Charlotte Hornets.
