Online Gambling Platform Bovada Under Scrutiny for Failing to Settle $87k Wager Made Regarding TikTok Ban
Trouble's brewing for online gambling giant Bovada as they've yet to cough up an $87k bet to one of their VIP players. Todd Witteles, a dude from Poker Fraud Alert, spilled the beans on this mess revolving around Uncle Sam banning TikTok sometime in 2025 - which they did on January 18.
Witteles filled us in on the details. The bet's still hanging in there until the end of 2025, with Bovada claiming that TikTok's 13-hour ban last month doesn't count.
Forum posts show proof and a walkthrough, explaining how Joe Biden officialdom banned the social media platform. The ban's then engraved into US law. Prez Trump signed an executive order, providing a 75-day buffer before enforcing the ban.
A user plopped down $24,882 on a +250 bet on January 15, hoping for a $62,206 windfall if their prediction panned out. Bovada remained tight-lipped about the criteria needed for the bet to win.
The VIP host said the decision's still up in the air, and the bet will remain unsettled "for the time being." As a token, she tossed some points into the user's account, worth about $250. In a follow-up email, the account host reiterated the bet will stay unsettled "until we receive official communication from our provider."
Witteles raised the alarm that many other Bovada customers probably placed bets on the same TikTok ban market, and their wagers are presumably still pending.
Now, here's the juicy bit. According to sources, Bovada's been dealing with a fair bit of drama lately - suspension and limitations on payment methods like Venmo, as per chatter in TikTok and gambling communities on social media [2]. This could be adding fuel to Bovada's hesitation or difficulties in settling large bets on high-profile, uncertain events.
Long story short, Bovada's reluctance or inability to pay out the $87k bet is due to the unresolved nature of the US TikTok ban event - the bet's foundation - and operational complications on Bovada's end [1][2].
- The unsettled $87k bet on TikTok's future has been an issue for Bovada, as the social media platform was banned by the Joe Biden administration in 2025, engraved into US law after a 75-day buffer provided by President Trump's executive order.
- Additionally, sources from TikTok and gambling communities on social media have reported that Bovada has been experiencing suspension and limitations on payment methods, such as Venmo, which could be contributing to their difficulties in settling large bets on high-profile, uncertain events.
- In the case of the VIP player who placed a $24,882 bet on the TikTok ban market, the user is yet to receive the potential $62,206 windfall, with Bovada citing the unresolved nature of the US TikTok ban event as the reason for the unsettled bet.
- Poker Fraud Alert's Todd Witteles has expressed concern that many other Bovada customers may have similar bets pending on the TikTok ban market, further complicating the situation for the online casino-and-gambling giant.
