Sportsbook & Gambling Information

Hilton settles SuperContest mistake



By MATT YOUMANS
REVIEW-JOURNAL






A three-way tie for first in the Las Vegas Hilton SuperContest was broken a week late, with 73-year-old Gary Garramone being declared the winner Tuesday much to his surprise.

On Friday, the Hilton announced its NFL handicapping contest ended in a tie between Garramone, Mark Hoover (a proxy for Let It Ride Sports) and the three-man team of Peter Kowalski, Ray Maternowski and Myron Wilson.

Each winner was awarded $131,520, an equal split of 64 percent of the total prize pool. There were a record 411 entrants in the $1,500 buy-in contest, which required entrants to pick five NFL sides every week.

The winners tied with a 52-32-1 record. But there was a tiebreaking rule that was overlooked. Garramone won the tiebreaker by posting a 12-3 record the last three weeks of the season.

"I've been in the contest almost every year, and I didn't know anything about the tiebreaker," said Garramone, who will be paid an additional $115,080 today by the Hilton.

The contest winner is due 40 percent of all entry fees, with second place earning 16 percent and third place earning 8 percent. The second- and third-place finishers were overpaid but have declined to refund any money.

Hilton sports book director Jay Kornegay said the mistake was discovered Sunday and the company made the decision to absorb the loss.

"There was an error made in finalizing the results, and the Hilton has addressed it and paid the rightful winner," Kornegay said. "The executive management of the Hilton deserves credit for handling it the way they did."

Garramone, a Philadelphia native, moved to Las Vegas in the early 1970s and is a retired professional gambler.

"Jay called me and was very apologetic," Garramone said. "I said, `Let me put your mind at ease. I accept your apology.'

"How can I complain? Everything turned out well and I'm satisfied."