Gambling and the Vacation of Penn State's Victories

Factual Questions
1

A part of the recent sanctions that the NCAA leveled against Penn State was the vacation of all wins in the program from 1998 to the present day.

I was wondering how that would affect (if at all) gambling results. Suppose Penn State played against Podunk U. in 2000 (or any other year for which the victories have been vacated) and won the game. At that time, I placed a bet (in a jurisdiction where sports gambling is legal) on Podunk and lost. Now that the victory has been vacated, can I go back to the house and tell them that it should be a “push” (since neither team won) and ask for my money back?

Suppose I bet on Penn State and won? Can the house now ask me to return my winnings since the win was vacated?

Zev Steinhardt

2

As I’m understanding the process, the results still stand but Penn State (and Paterno) can’t take credit for the win.

3

The bet was on the score when the game was played, not on what the record books would say in the future.

4

Some news article mentioned that the “vacation” did not mean the other team won, it’s as if no score is registered, the game was never played.

Most gambling sites etc. usully have a long disclaimer, which basically says among other things - reults changes after X hours do not affect the payout based on the initial resutls. Most people don’t want to wait 14 years for a payout.

5

I am picturing you taking your betting slip into Caesar’s Palace and explaining why you should get your money back. Kind of like Albert Brooks talking to Garry Marshall in Lost in America or even better talking to Alec Baldwin in The Cooler. I’d pay to watch that.

6

Yeah, all vacating the wins does is erase them (and JoePa as the all-time winningest coach in NCAA football) from the record books. It doesn’t change reality one bit.