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OAKLAND PARK, Fla (Gambling911.com) - It was the most read article last year at Gambling911.com. A sports bettor, later identified as sports gambling influencer Manny Cortez, was filmed complaining that Caesars Sportsbook refused to pay him his $500,000 winnings after he admits to using a beard.
A beard refers to a person who places a bet for someone else in order to conceal the identity of the real bettor. This would be considered a violation of Caesar''s rules.
The incident took place at Caesars-owned Harrah's Cherokee Hotel and Casino in North Carolina.
Cortez placed a $143,000 bet on the Boston Celtics to win the NBA Championship at that casino property. The Celtics won. His ticket was worth $500,000. Caesars used his winning ticket on their own social media to market their sportsbook. Then refused to pay him. Those posts were quietly deleted.
The Celtics won the title. His ticket paid out $357,500. Total winnings: $500,000.
Before refusing to pay him Caesars Sportsbook and Harrah's Cherokee posted his winning ticket on their own official social media accounts to market their sportsbook to customers.
Then they refused to pay him.
A sports betting influencer placed a $143,000 bet on the Boston Celtics to win the NBA Championship at Harrah's Cherokee Casino in North Carolina. The Celtics won. His ticket was worth $500,000. Caesars used his winning ticket on their own social media to market their sportsbook.… pic.twitter.com/BkESfsJbJi
— Aisar (@aisarcore) July 27, 2026
A Twitter user at the time explained the sportsbook policy.
"The bet was placed by a messenger, or in his words “his bookie” which is illegal. For a bet this big, YOU have to place the bet yourself. The entire bet gets voided after this and even the person that placed the bet for him CANNOT collect. He snitched on himself on his instagram."
But Cortez insists its his money and filed a lawsuit last year to recoup what he believes is owed.
Manny Cortez actually filed a federal lawsuit for this!
He sued Harrah’s NC Casino Company & related entities in June 2025 over the $500k Celtics championship bet, the initial refusal to pay, the lifetime ban, and the reputational hit after they promoted his winning ticket then… https://t.co/sqn4n4TZZS pic.twitter.com/haAGbr0iKe— Ariel Givner (@GivnerAriel) July 27, 2026
IP & corporate attorney Arial Givner posted the current status of the case, noting that mediation ended in impasse (April 2026) .
Discovery is still ongoing (last extension granted to June 29, 2026) with the discovery cutoff Aug 10, 2026
Motions are due on Sept 11, 2026.
A jury trial is set for February 1, 2027 in Asheville.
In addition to going viral on social media outlets, the story mainly appeared on the Gambling911.com website and has blown up since to be featured primarily in local news media.
- Gilbert Horowitz, Gambling911.com
