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Gambling 911 gets results!
The Virginia Lottery, a government agency that regulates all gambling in the State of Virginia, is investigating a situation in which a Virginia teacher won $214,500 betting on the women’s World Cup with sportsbook BetMGM, but now is having trouble getting paid, Gambling 911 can reveal in a world exclusive report!
Kristopher S. Benton, a special education math teacher and soccer coach at West Springfield High School in Springfield, Virginia, told a Washington, D.C. television station that he won the money making parlay bets with BetMGM on the August 1 Netherlands vs. Vietnam game, which the Netherlands won 7-0.
But when he tried to collect his winnings, Benton said, BetMGM refused to pay, claiming it had accidentally posted incorrect odds for the parlays in question, and thus the bets were voided.
“This was going to be a life-changing moment for us, and then, in an instant, it was all taken away, without any notification whatsoever,” Benton told WUSA, Washington’s CBS affiliate.
“I was completely devastated. My wife and I had already started discussing what we were going to do with the money.”
After learning of this situation, Gambling 911 contacted the Virginia Lottery in Woodbridge, Virginia, to ask them about it, as the agency oversees all casino gambling, sports betting and lotteries in the state, and the agency seemed unaware of the controversy.
A Virginia Lottery spokesman told Gambling 911: “The gentleman has not filed a complaint with the Virginia Lottery.”
Gambling 911 then gave the Virginia Lottery more specific details about the controversy.
Several hours later, the Virginia Lottery spokesman contacted Gambling 911 and said: “The Virginia Lottery is in contact with BetMGM,” implying that the agency was now investigating the matter, even though Benton hadn’t yet filed an official formal complaint.
Benton has been the varsity boys soccer coach at West Springfield High School for several years.
Before that, he was the varsity boys soccer coach at Falls Church High School in Falls Church, Virginia, where in 2012, in his first year of coaching, he was named district Coach of the Year after leading his team to a 10-3-2 record.
Gambling 911 has reached out to Benton for an interview, but has not yet heard back.
By Tom Somach
Gambling 911 Chief Correspondent
tsomach@aol.com
