A parlay strategy that actually worked
A 24-year-old Chicago man is fighting to get $800,000 in sports betting winnings that he believes two Caesars-owned casinos owe him. So far, though, he has not had the luck he had when he made his bets.
he was convinced that he could beat the sportsbook
Thomas McPeek did his homework. He read a shelf-full of books on gambling and sports betting and developed a personal system for picking winners, keeping meticulous notes and charts in a good, old spiral notebook. He was convinced that he could beat the sportsbook playing NFL and college football parlays. And while most people who think that are usually very wrong, he was right.
“It was a calculated attack where I thought I had an edge,” McPeek told CBS Chicago.
Avoided detection
McPeek started with Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Indiana, in August 2024. Over the course of a week, he bet $30,000 and won $350,000. In September, he moved on to Isle Casino in Bettendorf, Iowa, where he bet $20,000 and won $450,000.
He is well aware that playing parlays is risky (as is all betting, for that matter), even showing CBS Chicago giant stacks of losing betting slips. But he was committed and it worked.
only bet at kiosks to lower the risk of a human rejecting his wagers
Casinos don’t like winning players, so McPeek said he disguised himself to avoid detection and only bet at kiosks to lower the risk of a human rejecting his wagers. He also switched casinos to try to stay under the radar. He wasn’t doing anything illegal, but he did not want to be tagged as a winning player.
Talking about his experience at Isle Casino, McPeek said: “I sat at the kiosk for four hours just punching in my bets — bet after bet after bet after bet after bet.”
Caesars said he broke the rules
Over half a year later, though, neither casino has paid him, saying that he violated house rules. Specifically, Caesars cited its “Structuring/AML Standards” policy, which reads: “The structuring of wagers to circumvent federal currency transaction reporting thresholds is strictly prohibited. Additionally, all wagers are subject to the federal AML reporting requirements, including the filing of currency transaction reports and suspicious activity reports.”
Caesars also pointed out its “Repeat Wagers” rule, which says the company “reserves the right to investigate repetitive wagers made from a single account, or syndicate accounts, with the same outcome” and can void or withhold payment if permitted by state regulators.
It’s horrible what they’re doing to me.”
McPeek has filed complaints with both the Indiana and Iowa gaming regulators, telling CBS Chicago: “There’s no rules against staying under the radar. It’s horrible what they’re doing to me.”
The Indiana Gaming Commission has sided with Caesars; the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission is still reviewing the case. McPeek said he could end up suing Caesars if he doesn’t get his desired result.
McPeek also won $127,000 at the FanDuel Casino at Blue Chip Casino in Michigan City, Indiana. While Blue Chip ended up banning him, it still paid out in full. Caesars has offered to refund his wagers, even the losing ones, but will not pay McPeek his winnings.
