Sports Betting Influencer Sues Caesars

Affiliate Disclosure: Some links on Gambling Nerd are affiliate links. If you use them to sign up or deposit, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. These rewards help fund new guides, but they never influence our verdicts. Our recommendations are based on independent research and our own ranking system.
Boston has retooled its 2024 title team, but one bettor from Florida is still dealing with the fallout from the Celtics title run. Emmanuel Kromah, a sports betting influencer who goes by Fort Manny, wagered over $140,000 on the Celtics to win the title in 2024. After winning, Kromah was banned from the sportsbook and is now suing for defamation.
How Much Did Kromah Bet?
Betting on the NBA playoffs is a popular summer pastime, but it does not always go as planned.
Kromah wagered $143,000 on the Celtics to win the 2024 NBA Finals. He placed the wager at the Caesars Sportsbook in the Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort in February of that year.
After Boston defeated the Mavericks in five games, Kromah secured himself a $500,500 payout.
Kromah contacted the sportsbook, which told him he could collect his winnings at the end of the month after the Finals were officially over. Caesars even posted the winning ticket on social media. When Kromah went to collect, though, things did not go as planned.
What Happened Between Kromah and Caesars?
The issues started when Kromah went to collect his winnings after the NBA Finals ended. According to Kromah, staff at the sportsbook were rude to him and refused to pay out his winnings.
In addition to withholding his winnings, Kromah claims that employees accused him of criminal behavior, including fraud, and then had the influencer escorted out by security.
Caesars did pay Kromah his winnings eventually. Ten days after the incident at the sportsbook, Kromah received his full $500,500 payout. However, that has not stopped the influencer from pursuing legal action against Caesars.
After paying Kromah his winnings, Caesars banned the influencer from their properties.
Why Is Kromah Suing Caesars?
Kromah received his payout, eventually, but he is now suing Caesars years after the incident for a video posted by the sportsbook. The video, which went viral, showed Kromah being escorted out by security.
According to Kromah, the video portrayed him as a criminal and hurt his reputation. He also claims the treatment was racially motivated and is now suing Caesars for compensatory and punitive damages for:
- Unfair trade practices
- Interference with business contracts
- Defamation
Kromah is seeking upwards of $75,000 in compensation for the incident.
This is not the first time in recent years that Caesars has refused to pay out major tickets. In late 2024 and early 2025, Thomas McPeek won over $800,000 on multiple parlays at two Caesars properties. However, the sportsbook claimed McPeek violated the house rules.