Maryland Sports Bettor Wins $714K On NBA Parlay At Live! Casino

Written By David Danzis on December 7, 2022 - Last Updated on December 8, 2022
NBA Parlay Win Live Casino

FanDuel Sportsbook General Manager Leon Twyman has seen plenty of long shots during his career. But a recent three-leg parlay that turned a five-dime bet into a $714,000 win at Live! Casino is one he won’t soon forget.

Bettor wins $714k on NBA parlay at Live! Casino

In late October, a Maryland sports betting enthusiast placed $5,000 on the combined outcomes of three NBA games at the FanDuel Sportsbook in Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland. Despite the bet’s near 141-1 odds, all three legs of the parlay hit. The bettor then cashed his ticket the next day and walked out with stacks of new bills still wrapped in plastic.

Twyman said the big winner was a “loyal customer” and acted pretty nonchalant when collecting his cash.

“He put it in a backpack and just rolled out. It was definitely interesting seeing something like that.”

Live! publicized the big win on social media, and the Baltimore Sun first reported the story.

Maryland sports betting has seen some big wins

According to a casino spokesperson, the winning bet is the largest sports betting payout to date at Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland.

Shortly after Maryland legalized sports betting in December 2021, a gambler at the Hanover casino won close to $500,000. But the three-leg parlay from Oct. 29 “easily” tops that, Twyman said.

“I’ve worked in casinos and sportsbooks for quite some time, so I’ve seen a large amount of money (go across the betting counter). But being passed to one single person or payout? That’s definitely the highest.”

Sports betting 101: Parlay bets are high risk, high reward

A parlay combines two or more bets into a single wager, increasing the odds. Even though the chances of winning parlay bets are less likely, recreational gamblers enjoy the thrill of chasing potentially higher payouts.

In some states with both legal in-person and online sports betting, parlay betting accounts for more than 20% of the total amount of money gambled. Parlays, however, favor the sportsbooks, with some operators reporting annual hold percentages of 15% or more.

The winning bet at the FanDuel Sportsbook inside Live! Maryland was a three-leg moneyline (picking an outright winner) parlay on underdogs. Twyman wasn’t worried about the book’s liability when he took the action.

“We get a lot of wagers here where the potential payout is just so large that it’s rare that they actually hit. And, with that one, I’m thinking to myself, ‘that one’s not going to hit. That was pretty much a donation.'”

Here is the bettor’s winning ticket:

  • Golden State Warriors at Charlotte Hornets (+410)
  • Indiana Pacers (+460) at Brooklyn Nets
  • Oklahoma City Thunder (+400) at Dallas Mavericks

Watching the winning wager unfold

On that fateful Oct. 29 evening, the Pacers won in regulation, but the Hornets and Thunder games went to overtime. Twyman was paying attention that night.

“I actually watched the entire Thunder game because of (the ticket) and…when it won, I was like, ‘oh my God. How am I going to explain this to the property?,’ because I never let anyone know about it because it was like, ‘it’s not gonna hit.'”

When the patron came to collect, Twyman assisted with the transaction:

“He acted like it was any ordinary day, just happy. Not overly excited. But what he did tell me was that he did not watch any of those games…He was pretty calm.”

Photo by Dreamstime
David Danzis Avatar
Written by
David Danzis

David Danzis is a lead writer and analyst for Catena Media's network of Play sites, appearing on PlayNJ, PlayCA, PlayOhio and PlayMaryland. He is a New Jersey native and an honors graduate of Rutgers University. As a newspaper reporter for the New Jersey Herald and Press of Atlantic City, David earned statewide awards for his coverage of politics, government, education, sports, and business. After years of reporting on Atlantic City casinos, NJ online gambling and sports betting, his focus is now on emerging gaming markets. David lives in Mays Landing, NJ with his wife and two children. When not on the beach, golf course, or the slopes, David enjoys watching his beloved New York sports teams — Yankees, Jets, Rangers, and Knicks.

View all posts by David Danzis
Privacy Policy