Knicks Prove Massachusetts Widow Correct After Sports Betting Void Requests

• The New York Knicks elimination of the Boston Celtics has saved a Massachusetts widow more than $100,000
• The widow’s deceased husband last year placed $106,100 in futures bets on the Celtics winning the NBA championship
• DraftKings agreed to return the bet stake to the widow

Well, at least someone in Massachusetts is happy after the Celtics lost.

A Massachusetts widow’s decision in March to request several of her late husband’s bets on the Boston Celtics be voided has paid off, as the New York Knicks summarily dispatched of the Eastern Conference powerhouse in the second round of the playoffs.

Her request ended up being a financially sound one, as DraftKings agreed to void the bets and return the original $106,000 stake of the nine total bets this past spring.

Celtics Underperform in Playoffs

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission heard the request in an early March meeting, noting that legal counsel for the unnamed widow asked DraftKings to void the bets for the client.

On March 7, DraftKings notified the MGC that legal counsel for a deceased patron requested that nine futures bets placed on the Boston Celtics to win either the Eastern Conference Championship or NBA championship be voided. Legal counsel notified DraftKings that the spouse of the deceased patron made the request, asking the $106,1000 in total bets be voided and returned to her estate.

The total liability for DraftKings if each of the bets had won was $384,730. If the Celtics had won just the Eastern Conference championship, it would have paid out $50,000. His largest bet was $50,000 on the Celtics to win the championship, which would have seen a return of $190,000.

Favorites At The Time of the Bets

At the time of the requests, the Boston Celtics had the second best odds to win the NBA championship (behind the Oklahoma City Thunder) and were the favorites to win the Eastern Conference Championship.

The widow’s husband placed the bets soon after the Celtics won the 2024 NBA championship. At the time of the wagers, the Celtics were the outright favorites to repeat as NBA champions.

“We are happy to bring this to the commission if it assists the estate and the widow in this case,” DraftKings Senior Counsel Pete Harrington said at the meeting.

The Sports Wagering Division recommended the bets be voided, as they satisfied all requirements under state statute. The MGC unanimously agreed to void all the bets and return the total $106,100 stake to the estate.