Michigan Gambler Wins Big Legal Step in $3.1M Dispute With BetMGM

A Michigan woman who says she was cheated out of a $3 million online jackpot just won a major step forward in her legal battle against BetMGM.

Michigan Gambler Claims $3.2M Jackpot Was Wrongly Denied

On Tuesday, the Michigan Supreme Court unanimously sided with Jacqueline Davis, allowing her lawsuit against BetMGM to proceed. Davis claims she won a staggering $3.2 million playing “Luck o’ the Roulette” in March 2021, withdrew $100,000, and was then locked out of the remaining approximately $3.1 million, which BetMGM says was due to a game “malfunction.”

BetMGM Cites Game Malfunction as Reason to Withhold Winnings

Davis' winning streak began with a wager of just $4.50 and quickly ballooned into millions. The Luck o' the Roulette game features a 95.3% return-to-player rate and the potential to multiply bets up to 100 times per play. But BetMGM’s internal team flagged her payouts as “improbable,” and her account was soon suspended.

Her attorney, Mark Granzotto, says the company has provided little concrete evidence to support its claim that the game malfunctioned.

“They say it malfunctioned, but they don’t have much evidence as to what happened,” Granzotto told Gambling News.

Davis filed suit against BetMGM in Wayne County Circuit Court later that year, alleging breach of contract, fraud, and conversion.

Lawsuit Against BetMGM Dismissed by Lower Courts

Lower courts dismissed the case, siding with BetMGM’s argument that the dispute needed to go before the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB). But after the MGCB declined to take action, the matter was elevated to the state’s highest court.

In a Court of Appeals dissent, Judge Kathleen Feeney warned that denying Davis a legal path forward “lends new meaning to the old gambling adage that the House always wins.”

Michigan Supreme Court Ruling Reopens $3M Jackpot Case

Now, the Michigan Supreme Court has ruled that Davis deserves her day in court. The case will return to Wayne County Circuit Court for further proceedings.