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Sue for Fantasy Baseball winnings?

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jrUVA

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Virginia

Can I sue in small claims court if I have won a Fantasy Baseball league and the commissioner refuses to pay the agreed upon payout of $800? I have detailed emails from him listing these payouts. Can I take this to small claims court and do I have a good case? He is now claiming he doesn't have the money to pay me and will only refund my money if I agree not to attempt to collect the rest of the winnings.
 


Antigone*

Senior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Virginia

Can I sue in small claims court if I have won a Fantasy Baseball league and the commissioner refuses to pay the agreed upon payout of $800? I have detailed emails from him listing these payouts. Can I take this to small claims court and do I have a good case? He is now claiming he doesn't have the money to pay me and will only refund my money if I agree not to attempt to collect the rest of the winnings.
Since when did gambling become legal in your state? If it is not legal to gamble, then you cannot use the small claims court to rectify a wrong.
 

latigo

Senior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Virginia

Can I sue in small claims court if I have won a Fantasy Baseball league and the commissioner refuses to pay the agreed upon payout of $800? I have detailed emails from him listing these payouts. Can I take this to small claims court and do I have a good case? He is now claiming he doesn't have the money to pay me and will only refund my money if I agree not to attempt to collect the rest of the winnings.
You bet!

That is, you better take what you bet.

Virginia Code
§ 11-14. Gaming contracts void.
Except as otherwise provided in this section, all wagers, conveyances, assurances, and all contracts and securities whereof the whole or any part of the consideration is money or other valuable thing won, laid, or bet, at any game, horse race, sport or pastime, and all contracts to repay any money knowingly lent at the time and place of such game, race, sport or pastime, to any person for the purpose of so gaming, betting, or wagering, or to repay any money so lent to any person who shall, at such time and place, so pay, bet or wager, shall be utterly void.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a contract governing the distribution of state lottery proceeds shall be valid and enforceable as between the parties to the contract.

Section § 18.2-325. Definitions.
1. "Illegal gambling" means the making, placing or receipt, of any bet or wager in this Commonwealth of money or other thing of value, made in exchange for a chance to win a prize, stake or other consideration or thing of value, dependent upon the result of any game, contest or any other event the outcome of which is uncertain or a matter of chance, whether such game, contest or event, occurs or is to occur inside or outside the limits of this Commonwealth
.
 

ajfarms1

Member
Someone asks a question, and they dont know the law, thats why they ask. Do you guys always have to answer with such sarcasm. Are your lives so perfect that all you have to do is make fun of people? Grow up guys!!!
 

latigo

Senior Member
Someone asks a question, and they dont know the law, thats why they ask. Do you guys always have to answer with such sarcasm. Are your lives so perfect that all you have to do is make fun of people? Grow up guys!!!
How gauche! Seldom are the uncultivated so enchantingly glib.

Next time you ask a naïve and foolish question, pipsqueak, try suggesting a more promising answer.

Ganador ridance llaga Buena!
 

FlyingRon

Senior Member
There's no monkey in the works at all. It is clearly ILLEGAL in Virigina. There are very limited exemptions in Virginia (specific to participants in horse and auto racing for example). No Virginia court will hear such a case.
There has been a federal exception made for fantasy sports leagues, but that will not preempt the Virginia laws in Virginia courts.
 

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